A Call to Arms
by Asher Cross
Summary: One year after the war, Hitomi is called back to Gaea to fight a new evil...
1. Chapter 1

THE VISION OF ESCAFLOWNE: A CALL TO ARMS  
Chapter 1  
Asher Cross  
------  
FRELENIA VILLAGE  
KINGDOM OF RALENIA, GAEA  
  
  
  
It was a beautiful day in the small village of Frelenia.   
  
Theran walked down the pebbled road, humming to himself. The 10-year-old looked up, and saw a small flock of birds soaring over his head.  
  
"Theran!" A tiny voice called behind him.  
  
He turned, and his face lit up when he saw it was his best friend, Jinh. He stopped as Jinh caught up with him, and the two walked side by side along the road.  
  
"Are you going to the festival today?" asked Jinh.  
  
"Of course! I hear they're going to have a Guymelef demonstration!" Theran replied.  
  
"I'd kill for the opportunity to be in a Guymelef!" Jinh shouted, and the two laughed.  
  
Theran watched as the birds passed the horizon, and nodded. But before he looked away, he saw something start to appear in the same place...a round shape, slowly getting bigger...  
  
More silhouettes began to appear, and the villagers around the boys began to notice as well...  
  
Suddenly, as he looked closer, he could make out the features of the things...features of a DRAGON...  
  
Theran barely had time to gasp, as the first dragon made a great leap into the middle of the town square. The screeching roar of the beast frightened the villagers, and soon everyone was in a frenzy, running, grabbing their children, as the dragons started to attack...  
  
-----  
JAPAN  
EARTH  
  
  
  
Hitomi Kanzaki walked out the door that led into her high school, and gave a sigh. Finally, the day was over. She checked her forehead. All day she hadn't been feeling well--she felt drained.  
  
Her spirits lightened a bit when she heard a familiar voice call from behind, "Hitomi!"  
  
She turned around to see Koichi Samamoto, fellow classmate and boyfriend, walk up to her, all smiles. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder, and she leaned against him, giving a relieved sigh.  
  
Koichi, looking at her, said, "You look a little pale, Hitomi. Are you OK?"  
  
Hitomi didn't answer, just gave him a small smile. Koichi, concerned for a second, let the subject drop.  
  
Hitomi frowned. Something didn't feel right. She blinked--  
  
And when her eyes opened, she stood in the middle of a battlefield. to her left, a crying child knelt over his dead mother. To her right, A Guymelef was being crushed by a dragon.  
  
She looked around, frightened, and started when a dragon appeared out of nowhere, jumping high into the sky, coming down onto her--  
  
She shrieked and covered her head with her arms, closing her eyes tightly...  
  
"VAN!!!"  
  
"...Hitomi? HITOMI?!"  
  
She let one shaking eye flutter open. She was crouching to the ground, on the sidewalk leading to her home, Koichi a couple of steps behind, face frozen with worry.  
  
She let herself drop to her hands and knees, fighting off the subsiding fear, Koichi running towards her.  
  
"Hitomi? What happened?"  
  
Hitomi looked over to him.  
  
"And why did you call me Van?"  
  
-----  
ASTURIA CASTLE  
GAEA  
  
  
  
Van Fanel, King of Fanelia, walked through the damp stone halls of Asturia Castle, his face creased with concern. He'd received a letter from Princess Millerna, urging him to come to Asturia Castle at once, for a council of war. At her urging, he'd brought his cat-girl servant and friend, Merle, who waited outside the castle.  
  
The lette worried Van--he hadn't heard of any attacks lately. *Could Zaibach be building up again?* he wondered. He hoped it wasn't the case. He still had a long way to go in rebuilding Falenia after the war with Zaibach, and he didn't want anything to break the fragile peace that covered Gaea. The peace that, along with Allen Schezar, he and Hitomi had created...  
  
His heart skipped a beat at her name. He still missed Hitomi, not forgetting her for a second even a year after she was sent back to earth by the bright light from the heavens...  
  
He rounded the corner into the war room, where he saw several old friends from the war with Zaibach a year ago--Allen Schezar, Knight Caeli of Asturia, gave a small smile and nodded to his old friend. Prince Chid, the boy ruler of Freid, turned to him, his eyes lighting up. Gaddes, second-in-command of Allen's group of knights, nodded solemnly.   
  
Allen waved him in. "Come, Van. You are welcome here."  
  
"They told me to meet you here in the war room. What happened?"  
  
Allen gestured to his left. "I'd better let Lord Raylen explain."  
  
Van looked to the man Allen was speaking of. Lord Raylen turned toward him. He seemed to be a kind man, his eyes calm, and seemed mature for his 27 years of age. He spoke slowly and softly. "As you know, my kingdom, Ralenia, is a relatively peaceful one, with little need for a military, although we have one.  
  
"A few days ago, one of our outlying villages was demolished. We couldn't find any survivors. But there is no evidence of a Guymelef attack, and it was too destructive to simply be armed warriors. The only other explanation would be..."  
  
"Dragons." Van said, his eyes widening with realization.  
  
"Yes. As far as we know, the dragons weren't provoked in any way--they just swooped down and attacked. My first question of many is, why did they attack?"  
  
"Dragons wouldn't attack unless provoked."  
  
"Ah, but this time they did, Fanelia. I wish to find out why. Asturia and Ralenia share a border, and possibly through the unity of our four countries--Asturia, Ralenia, Freid, and the quickly-rebuilding Fanelia...which is home to the infamous *Escaflowne*..." he said, stressing the name of the Guymelef, "will be able to solve this mystery and get things back to peace."  
  
Van said to him, "You...want me to use Escaflowne..."  
  
"Yes, if at all possible."  
  
"I can't...even if I wanted to, there is no energist for its power."  
  
For a brief second, Raylen's calm eyes seemed to flash with rage and frustration, then turned back to their normal passiveness. "Very well. I'm sure the situation will not require the use of Escaflowne."  
  
Van and Raylen shared a tense moment. Then they heard frantic footsteps running toward the war room. All 5 warriors swept hands to their swords, but calmed when they saw it was Merle and Millerna.  
  
"Lord Van! I found a little boy out cold in the woods--he was beaten and bleeding!"  
  
Van asked, "Is he still there?"  
  
"No, I carried him to the doctor."  
  
Raylen stepped forward. "I would like to see this boy." Raylen walked past Merle and Millerna, the others following.  
  
-----  
  
Once they reached the infirmary, Millerna showed them to the boy, who was lying on his back in the infirmary.  
  
Looking down at the boy, Raylen could see that the boy was severely beaten, and could have been near death when Merle found him. He looked to Millerna, who nodded.  
  
He looked to the boy, giving a proud smile. "What's your name, child?"  
  
The boy gave a small, reassuring smile, and collected his strength to reply. "T-Th-Theran."  
  
"What happened to you?" Van asked.   
  
"After the dragons left me for dead, I tried to walk to Asturia. Then I fell down, and I woke up here." His tiny, innocent voice saying those horrible words hurt Van. "Where did you encounter dragons?" Raylen asked.  
  
"At my village...Frelenia."  
  
Raylen's eyes widened. "You're from Frelenia?"  
  
"Y-Yes."  
  
Raylen stood and looked to Gaddes and Van. "So we know for sure. Dragons."  
  
Allen stepped forward. "The boy has been walking tirelessly by himself after experiencing a traumatic experience. It could've been a hallucination."  
  
Raylen maintained his ground. "DRAGONS." The word was injected with ferocity, which seemed unnatural coming from the lips of such a calm man.  
  
Chid entered the conversation, breaking the tense moment between Raylen and Van. "Where could the dragon, or dragons, attack next?"  
  
Gaddes replied to this. "From the Ralenian village, there are two populated areas--one is near a Guymelef manufacturing plant, the other is--"  
  
He was interrupted by a maddening screech, then the entire castle shook, knocking them off their feet.  
  
Merle, Chid, Allen, Van, Millerna, and Raylen looked out the window, eyes wide--  
  
As several dragons jumped out from under the horizon, their eyes gleaming with death.  
  
Gaddes, surprised, finished his sentence. "Asturia Castle."  
  
-----  
  
Allen and Gaddes ran to gather the troops, as Raylen, Chid, Merle and Millerna stayed in the infirmary to keep watch of Theran and be ready for the inevitable casualties.  
  
Allen's squad, mounted their Guymelefs--Allen inside his prized Scherazade--and rushed out onto the battlefield, swords swinging left and right.  
  
Allen screeched, "Chaarge!" and the squad went to work.  
  
The Guymelefs swooped down, blades swinging down onto the attacking dragons--  
  
Which promptly clanged against their hard, reptilian scales.  
  
After a few casualties, Allen's eyes flashed with realization. "Turn them upside down! Attack their undersides!"  
  
Scherazade slid its sword under the belly of one dragon, and Allen motioned to lift it upward--  
  
But Scherazade let go of the blade, and stumbled backward.  
  
*What's happening?* thought Allen. "Why isn't it obeying my commands?!" Allen moved the controls desperately, but to no avail. If he moved his right arm, it would kick out his left leg, each motion doing everything but the action it was supposed to do.  
  
Soon all of the Guymelef squad followed suit, leaving the dragons to play with the helpless machines.  
  
-----  
  
Van paced the infirmary, furious. He couldn't DO anything! There were way too many to take on with just his sword, and he hadn't piloted a Guymelef in a year, with--  
  
*Escaflowne!* he thought, then immediately dismissed the thought. *I promised never to use it again, and even if I wanted to, I'd need an energist--not just any, but one mixed with my blood. And if it gets damaged, I fell it too! I'm not going to go through that...that HELL again!*  
  
Enraged, he shouted as he slammed his fist against the wall. He was tired of sitting at the sidelines. He walked to the window, flexing his fingers, and taking a few deep breaths.  
  
The others looked at their friend with alarm. Van stood perfectly calm...then jumped out of the open window.  
  
They all gave a small shout of surprise as Van plummeted toward the ground, shouting in his mind, *C'mon, work! Fly!"  
  
Suddenly, his back pressed against the fabric of his shirt, and it tore away, his bright, angelic wings--the gift given to a Draconian--spreading to their full width.  
  
He swooped into the air, thereby avoiding a death by fall, and swooped eastward.  
  
He heard Merle's distant shout of, "Lord Van! Where are you going?"  
  
He gave a smile. *Falenia...*  
  
-----  
FANELIA  
  
  
  
Van smiled and waved at the Fanelians, who waved back and yelled his name, but focused on his objective, and eventually reached Fanelia Castle.   
  
There, kneeling in a state of repose, was Escaflowne, the Ispano Guymelef that became the key to the war. He landed in front of his old friend, and reached up and touched the face plate. *Escaflowne...my companion...I need you again. Please return to life...*  
  
Van looked down in frustration. *If Hitomi were here, she'd know what to do...* His hand trailed to the glowing pendant Hitomi gave to him a year ago, at their parting. He gripped it tightly, and concentrated as hard as he could, closing his eyes. *Hitomi, if you can hear my thoughts, please....come to me now...*  
  
-----  
EARTH  
  
  
  
Hitomi Kanzaki stood outside in the park at night, face buried in her hands, sobbing. For the past week, there'd been no rest from the horrible visions of dragons, blood, Guymelefs, and crying children...she was losing her mind, she knew it.  
  
The worst part of all, was Koichi. She wanted his support, his comfort, but couldn't find the courage to tell him what was going on.  
  
"Hitomi?"  
  
Hitomi looked up to see Koichi Samamoto, his normally cheerful face creased with worry, standing in front of the bench. "What's been happening to you these past few days? You've been blanking out, daydreaming, then there are the weird things you shout out..." He paused, and knelt down to eye level. "I'm sorry, it's just that...I'd like to know what's happening." He grabbed her hand. "I want to help. We're a team, remember? We work together," he said, trying to cheer her up.  
  
Hitomi sighed. It was time to tell him. "A year ago--"  
  
"...if you can hear my thoughts, please...come to me now..." A distant voice called.  
  
Hitomi leaned back, gasping. Koichi grabbed her shoulders. "What is it? Another vision?"  
  
"I hear a voice...I know it somewhere..." Hitomi gasped, putting it into place. "It's Van...he needs my help..."  
  
"Who's Van?...Hitomi?" Koichi asked, not getting a reply. "I NEED TO KNOW!"  
  
FLASH! A bright blue light came down from the heavens, surrounding Hitomi, and suddenly she was being lifted, light as a feather, into the air.  
  
"Hitomi...don't leave!" Koichi looked at her desperately, then bit his lip. He jumped up and grabbed for her, holding her tightly. "If you leave, I leave with you..."  
  
Hitomi was flushed with desperation. "Koichi, let go! I don't want you to go through what I did! Please!"  
  
But stubborn Koichi ignored her cries, clinging to her with all his might, as the two of them were propelled into the night sky...  
  
-----  
FANELIA  
GAEA  
  
  
  
Van stared in amazement at the bright light that had appeared before him, his hand cautiously floating toward his sword.  
  
His eyes lit up, and a rare smile crossed his face as the beam of light faded away, and Hitomi Kanzaki stood in its place.  
  
Hitomi looked around nervously, then gasped when she saw Van. "Oh my God, Van!" She ran toward him, Van enveloping her in a tight embrace.  
  
Hitomi pulled away suddenly, and looked behind her. Koichi had fainted on the trip, and he lay in a heap beside Escaflowne.  
  
Hitomi turned back to Van, who asked, "Who is he?"  
  
"It's someone else from the Mystic Moon. But...what am I doing back?"  
  
"I need your help, Hitomi...dragons are attacking Allen and the others, and I need Escaflowne."  
  
"But Van...you promised you wouldn't use Escaflowne again, and you know what'll happen if it gets damaged..."  
  
"I have to take the risks. The others don't stand a chance if I don't go back. Please, help me," Van pleaded.  
  
"But I don't know how!" Hitomi argued.   
  
Then, Van thrust the pendant into her hands. "I believe in you."  
  
Hitomi took a deep breath, slipped the pendant around her neck, and turned around. She reached up and touched the cold metallic shell of Escaflowne. *Please, Escaflowne. Help us protect our friends. Please, awaken!*  
  
As she concentrated, the pendant and the crystal "heart" of Escaflowne began glowing, fading in and out in unison, its tempo increasing as Hitomi concentrated harder.  
  
*I'm not strong enough, I can't do it!* she thought, when Van pressed a gentle hand upon her shoulder. *I believe in you...I believe in you...* that statement ran through Hitomi's mind like a broken record, and soon she was concentrating as hard as she could.  
  
She gasped as she felt her energy drain from her, and suddenly Escaflowne's crystalline heart glowed fiercely. She cringed, and she slipped into unconsciousness, fainting as Van caught her, set her down on the ground next to Koichi, and pressed his hand upon the crystal. The cockpit of Escaflowne opened, and he climbed inside.  
  
He glanced at the controls before manning them, recalling how to operate the Guymelef. His fingers closed around the grip, and the Ispano war machine stood erect once again, ready for battle.  
  
His pride swelled in the old machine, and he transformed it into dragon configuration, the sleek Guymelef turning into a mechanical flying machine. Van strapped Hitomi and Koichi to the dragon, and took off to return to Asturia, hoping against hope that he wasn't too late.  
  
-----  
  
Allen sighed as he gave up hope. for some reason, their Guymelefs were malfunctioning, even his beloved Scherazade. He leaned back as he waited for the dragons to finish him.  
  
Out of curiosity, he glanced at the remaining Guymelefs. Only two--Gaddes and another of Allen's troops. *I'm sorry, my friends...*  
  
He closed his eyes as a dragon lunged toward him--  
  
And was knocked away from him by another dragon. Allen leaned forward, incredulous. *That's not a dragon...That's--Escaflowne!"  
  
He watched as Van landed atop the castle, unstrapped two bodies from the dragon, and set them down on the castle. He then mounted Escaflowne, and took off, landing in its humanoid form.  
  
Van unsheathed Escaflowne's sword, which extended to its full length, and charged at the dragons, lifting them onto their backs and quickly gutting them. He took several small hits, scraping the metal of the Guymelef.   
  
Soon, the dragons began to retreat, and Escaflowne stood its ground, until the dragons were out of sight.  
  
Allen moved Scherazade's arm--it worked fine now! He opened his cockpit, and yelled, "What happened? Why couldn't our Guymelefs work?"  
  
The two other surviving soldiers approached and opened their cockpits. Allen nodded as Gaddes stepped out of his cockpit, alive and well. He cocked his head at the other man. He had short, spiky hair, and had a silent, forlorn expression on his face. Allen didn't remember recruiting him. "What's your name, man?"  
  
The man shouted, "I am Fjal. Fjal Trawen."  
  
-----  
  
On the castletop, Koichi regained consciousness. He blinked, staring up at a pink-and-orange sky. He sat up, and looked around in confusion. He saw castles, and large robots, the corpses of slain dragons, and an unconscious Hitomi.  
  
He shook her arm, and she awoke. "Hitomi--where are we?"  
  
Hitomi stood, Koichi standing beside her. She heard Allen shout, "Gaddes, ready the Crusade II. We're leaving Asturia. Gather everybody that's left alive."  
  
Hitomi nodded. "We're in Gaea."  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  



	2. Chapter 2

THE VISION OF ESCAFLOWNE: A CALL TO ARMS  
Chapter 2  
by Asher Cross   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------  
ASTURIAN SKIFF CRUSADE II  
RALENIA-ASTURIA BORDER   
GAEA  
  
  
  
30 people.  
  
Allen stared out the Crusade II's viewport at Asturia Castle, which lay in ruins, as they flew away. Only 30 people lived through the attack, only 4 of them--Van, Gaddes, the mysterious soldier Fjal Trawen, and himself--were actually present in the battle. The others--Millerna, Hitomi, Chid, Lord Raylen, the boy Theran, Merle, and Hitomi's mysterious friend from the Mystic Moon, along with 19 servants and residents of Asturia Castle--were grateful for their survival, but saddened by the loss of their comrades.  
  
Allen was especially remorseful. *My entire squad, except for Gaddes and Fjal...gone...*  
  
"It wasn't your fault, y'know."  
  
Allen, surprised, turned to see Hitomi standing behind him, looking at him with concern. Allen smiled. She'd grown in that year she was absent from his world, and grew beautifully. He gave a small smile as he thought back to the time when he thought he was in love with her. "I know, however...I can't help thinking what would've happened back there, had Scherazade been working properly. One or two lives might've been spared."  
  
Hitomi placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry...I think that soon, you'll be able to avenge their deaths."  
  
Allen smiled. "I hope...thank you."  
  
Hitomi returned the smile, and backed away. "I'd better get my friend up to speed with this new world."  
  
"I was meaning to ask you about that. Who is he?"  
  
"My boyf--" her voice caught in her throat. *Oh my God...what about Van? I can't just forget about him...* "My friend. When the light came, it swallowed him up too, and now we're both here."  
  
"All right, go. I'll see you in a while on the bridge. I'm calling everybody up to hold a council of war."  
  
Hitomi nodded, and ran off to find Koichi.  
  
-----  
  
  
  
Theran's eyes fluttered open, and he looked around him. He wasn't at Asturia Castle anymore. He was laying on a bed. Behind him was a window. He leaned back to look through it, and he saw the ground far below him. *I must be on a flying ship.*  
  
He sat up, wiping his eyes, and suddenly people rushed toward him, asking if he was all right, to each he answered in the affirmative.  
  
All of them backed away, except for a man, a woman, and a child, who introduced themselves as Lord Raylen, Princess Millerna, and Prince Chid.  
  
"Where are we?" he asked weakly.  
  
Chid answered, "We're on the Crusade II, leaving Asturia."  
  
"Where are we going?"  
  
"To Ralenia, our homeland," answered Raylen.  
  
Theran began to stand up, but Millerna stopped him. "You have to rest for awhile, little one. You were hurt pretty badly."  
  
Come to think of it, Theran did notice a small pain coming from his back. Compliant, he laid back down on the bed.  
  
Raylen spoke up. "I have to ask you--how did you survive the attack on the village?"  
  
Theran closed his eyes as he spoke, recalling every moment. "My best friend Jinh and I saw the dragons landing in the village square and start breaking buildings. We followed everyone, and ran."  
  
He started to choke up as he continued. "But another dragon blocked us, and started killing everyone. Once everyone started falling backwards, I was covered by the falling bodies. I heard Jinh scream, then I must've passed out. When I woke up, I couldn't hear anything. I wrestled my way out of the pit of dead people, and I saw the village torn apart. I looked to my side, and-and Jinh was dead..." Millerna cradled him in her arms as he sobbed into her shoulder. "My mommy and daddy are dead, too, aren't they?"  
  
Millerna nodded sadly. "I'm afraid they are, child."  
  
Theran wrapped his short arms around Millerna's neck and cried until he fell asleep in her arms.  
  
She set him back on the bed, his tear-streaked face a mix of sadness and tranquility. "Poor child."  
  
"We'll be at the Ralenian capital soon," Raylen said to her. "Maybe we can find some relatives, someone who can take care of him."  
  
Chid, who was silent for the longest time, said, "If we get there. Escaflowne didn't dispatch all of the dragons that attacked Asturia Castle, they could attack us at any time."  
  
Raylen sighed. "And I fear that maybe every dragon in Gaea is into the plot."  
  
-----  
  
  
  
Hitomi finally found Koichi's room, and when she entered, she stopped and gasped.  
  
Koichi was balled up in the corner of a room, staring fearfully at Merle, who was ready to pounce a few feet away from him.  
  
"Merle!" Hitomi yelled. "What are you doing? Back away from him!"  
  
Merle turned around, and her face lit up at the sight of her friend. "Hitomi!" She shouted, and barreled into her, squeezing her friend with a tight hug.  
  
"Er..ah, glad to see you too, Merle..." Hitomi gasped for air as Merle squeezed the life out of her. "Merle..."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"AIR!!!"  
  
"Oh, sorry," Merle shrugged innocently as she released Hitomi, who gasped fresh air into her lungs.  
  
After taking a few seconds to catch her breath, Hitomi sat up. Koichi was still shaking in the corner of the room, the same position he was in when she entered. "Whaaa.....?" he squeaked.  
  
"Koichi, calm down, she's a friend...now," Hitomi said softly, approaching Koichi.  
  
Merle backed out of the door. "Well, so much for that. I think I'll go now. Bye, Hitomi!"  
  
Once Merle left, Koichi sat up and rubbed his forehead. "Where are we?"  
  
Hitomi pointed to the bed, and the two sat on the bed facing each other. "That's what I was going to tell you about. Y'know how I was bothered by something for the past couple days?"   
  
Koichi nodded.   
  
"I was having visions...of this place, of Gaea..."  
  
"Gaea? That's the name of this place?" asked Koichi.  
  
"Yes. And the thing is that...I've been here before."  
  
"What?!" Koichi's surprise was most evident.  
  
"A year ago, before you moved to our school and before you knew me, I was swept away to Gaea. I had this...fantastic adventure that was exciting and frightening at the same time. I know most of the people that are here, I'm close friends with them. I helped end a war, Koichi. And for some reason I've been called back."  
  
"Why did I get dragged along for the ride?"  
  
Hitomi looked at him incredulously. "You grabbed onto me and wouldn't let go! That's how you got here!"  
  
"Yeah...but I didn't want to be apart from you."  
  
"Oh, Koichi, that's so sweet." Hitomi smiled and embraced him. Koichi returned the hug, as they fell back onto the bed.  
  
"So what now?" Koichi asked.  
  
"We find out what's going on. Allen said that they were going to have a meeting in a while, you can come with me."  
  
"Okay, sure." Koichi said, and stretched. A few seconds later, Allen's voice bellowed over the intercom. "May the following report to the bridge--Van, Fjal, Millerna, Raylen, Hitomi--"  
  
Hitomi mouthed, "Let's go," and grabbed his hand, dragging him out the door, as Allen continued.  
  
-----  
  
  
  
At the bridge, the war council consisted of Van, Chid, Theran, Fjal, Allen, Gaddes, Raylen, Millerna, Merle, Hitomi, and Koichi.  
  
Allen, leader of the council, spoke up first. "All right, everyone. We need to analyze what happened at Asturia Castle. Why did the dragons attack as a group? And furthermore, why weren't our Guymelefs working properly? I'm open to suggestions."  
  
Fjal Trawen, the Guymelef pilot who, along with Gaddes and Allen, was one of the sole survivors of the Asturia Guymelef squad, stepped forward. "I have a theory. I doubt all of our Guymelefs breaking down would be a coincidence. My best guess would be that some sort of energy field was tampering with our Guymelefs at that time, thereby causing the malfunctions."  
  
Raylen spoke up. "If that's so, then why did Escaflowne manage to dispatch the dragons without malfunction?"  
  
Hitomi answered, "Escaflowne wasn't using a drag-energist. I managed to will it to life at Fanelia."  
  
Allen snapped his fingers. "If Fjal's theory is correct, that would explain why our Guymelefs malfunctioned, save for Escaflowne."  
  
Koichi sighed. "Great...so, what do we do about it?"  
  
Van shrugged. "What CAN we do?"  
  
A low whining directed their attention to the viewport. There, they saw a large skiff and several small escorts navigating the tall mountains and cliffs ahead of them.  
  
They all stood gaping at it, before Gaddes ran to the controls. Allen shouted orders to the others. "Battle stations! Gaddes, find out if it's friend or foe!"  
  
Gaddes scanned the ship, and tapped his finger on the panel impatiently as he waited for the scan to finish. "Come on, come on..."  
  
A short beep followed, and Gaddes read the screen. "Hold on. One cargo skiff, 3 light combat skiffs...owned by Lord Dryden?!"  
  
Millerna exclaimed, "Dryden?!"  
  
-----  
  
Later...  
  
The hissing of sealed air as both Dryden's and Allen's skiffs docked was in the air as Hitomi, Koichi, Allen, Millerna, and Fjal awaited the other crew at the docking bay.  
  
The metal door finally opened, and three figures stepped onto the deck of the Crusade II, figures which lit up Hitomi's, Millerna's and Allen's face simultaneously.  
  
Lord Dryden, his rugged nobility still holding together after one year, met them with a broad smile.   
  
Celena, her smile beaming with innocence (a sharp contrast to her alter ego, Dilandau), embraced her brother Allen.  
  
And to their combined dismay and delight, the ugly, scheming roll of fat known only as the Mole Man waddled out, raised his arms in a gesture of friendship, and bellowed, "Hello everyone, I'm back!"  
  
Allen said to Celena, "So this is where you've been this past year! I was so worried about you..."  
  
"I was worried about you as well, brother. I still had some things to work out within myself--I am still both Dilandau and your sister Celena."  
  
"You can explain later, dear sister. We have somewhat of a crisis on our hands, and I'll explain on the way. Dryden, would you care to join us on our bridge? It's of the utmost importance."  
  
"Of course, Allen."  
  
"Good. Follow me." Allen left the bay, Dryden and the others following.  
  
------  
  
"...And I decided to take my kingdom mobile, packing as much of it as I could into a skiff, and set out, without any real direction...along the way, I met up with Celena and Mole, and they decided to join me. And we had the lucky fortune to bump into you," Dryden said as he summarized his activities over the past year in the Crusade II's bridge, the others listening. "Now, what's this 'important' business that requires my attention?"  
  
"Dryden, the dragons are revolting. They're attacking villages without provocation. Asturia Castle fell recently, of which we are the only survivors," Allen said solemnly.  
  
"Wait," Dryden said, with a scoff. "You're saying that the dragons have developed some sort of...consciousness?"  
  
"It seems like it," Van replied, from behind. "Also, the Guymelefs malfunction for some reason around the dragons...except for Escaflowne."  
  
Allen continued for Van. "We think that there's some kind of energy field that could be tampering with the drag-energists inside. Because Escaflowne isn't using an energist, it's not affected."  
  
"No energist? Intriguing...What is it powered by then?"  
  
Hitomi stepped forward. "Well...I don't really know. I used my will to bring it back to life at Fanelia."  
  
Dryden chuckled in disbelief. "Well, this certainly *is* intriguing!"  
  
Before he could add another comment, however, a large violent shaking rocked the ship back and forth, the crew falling to the ground.  
  
Gaddes yelled, "What the HELL was that?!"  
  
Fjal said grimly, "Dragons."  
  
Allen stood, bracing himself against the wall, and shouted, "Everyone, battle stations! Try and outrun them; zigzag pattern." He looked to the boy behind him. "Van..."  
  
Van nodded, and ran out of the bridge. Hitomi caught their exchange, and her eyes widened. *No, Van! Not Escaflowne!*  
  
Hitomi ran after him, Koichi calling after her, but doing nothing to stop her.  
  
Once Hitomi reached the hangar, Van was preparing to enter Escaflowne, getting ready to step up into the massive metal beast. "Van!"  
  
Van looked down to see Hitomi running towards him. "Leave, Hitomi, before you get in the way!"  
  
"I can't let you go out there! You can't fight them in Escaflowne--it'll kill you!"  
  
"Not if I don't get hurt," Van said calmly, and without another word, jumped into Escaflowne.  
  
Hitomi, angry and frustrated, ran and leapt onto the Guymelefs, leg, scrambling up onto its shoulder, and holding onto Escaflowne's head for dear life.   
  
"Hitomi! What are you doing?!" Van shouted.  
  
"I'm not letting you go alone!"  
  
Van sighed, and leapt onto the Crusade's hull. Keeping a firm foothold, Escaflowne's sword was unsheathed, and Van was ready for battle.  
  
The dragons swarmed around the Crusade and Dryden's ships, which were being mutilated by the scaled creatures. As he observed, he noticed patterns in the dragons' attacks. *They seem to be moving in formations...this attack seems planned...what's going on?*  
  
His thought was interrupted by Hitomi's shout of "In front!" which came too late, for a dragon landed directly in front of Escaflowne.  
  
Van, yelping in surprise, reflexes controlling his movement, stabbed his sword forward, catching the dragon in the left eye, impaling the entire head, blue-green blood spouting from the wound of the screaming dragon.  
  
Van withdrew the sword, Hitomi yelling, "Left!", to which Van swung his sword to the left, catching a passing dragon in the stomach, making a gigantic gash in the monster. The dragon wailed as he plummeted to the sharp, mountainous ground below.  
  
Hitomi watched, feeling pity for the wounded dragon for a moment...  
  
...failing to warn Van about the dragon behind him, which began a nose dive toward Escaflowne.  
  
Hitomi forced herself to look away from the falling dragon, and suddenly sensed the dragon behind them. "Van, behind us!!"  
  
Escaflowne turned just in time--  
  
To watch the dragon ram into him, knocking him off Crusade's hull, beginning to slide off the edge--  
  
When Van reached out Escaflowne's hand, barely catching a ridge in a levistone.  
  
Van sighed, and looked over his shoulder for Hitomi--  
  
Who had disappeared.  
  
"HITOMI!!" Van screamed, as he saw Hitomi...falling toward the ground, her eyes frozen with fear.  
  
Suddenly, a dragon swooped up below her, the girl landing on the dragon's back.  
  
The dragon began flying swiftly away from the fray, and the other dragons seemed to be retreating as well.  
  
Van released his left hand on the controls, preparing to turn into Dragon Mode--  
  
--But Escaflowne did not respond.  
  
He was frozen to the side of the Crusade, while the dragons flew off with Hitomi. Desperately, he moved the controls to get Escaflowne to move, sobbing with frustration. *N-no...I can't shed tears...but Hitomi!"  
  
He finally lay still, defeated, tears silently running down his face.  
  
------  
  
"Hitomi!" Koichi wailed, as he watched her being swept away by the dragons. His hands pressed up against the viewport, and he fell to his knees. *What'll I do now? Hitomi's gone...I'm lost in this strange land...*  
  
------  
  
Hitomi opened her eyes to find herself clutching the scaly back of a dragon, as it flew with the other dragons toward a large, mountainous cluster ahead of them. *Where am I? Why didn't they kill me?...Van...what about Van? Koichi?*  
  
Her thoughts wandered toward her friends as she awaited whatever was on the other side of the mountain...  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  



	3. Chapter 3

ESCAFLOWNE: A CALL TO ARMS  
Chapter 3  
by Asher Cross  
  
------  
CRUSADE II  
  
  
  
The battered Crusade II (the only surviving ship of the dragon attack) soon found a clear, flat spot to land.  
  
Soon afterwards, they managed to wrest the motionless Escaflowne from the levistone it had latched onto, and it laid on the ground.  
  
Van climbed out, and saw Koichi walking quickly toward him. He was met by a punch to the jaw from Koichi, whose eyes flared with rage. "How could you? How could you let Hitomi DIE?!" Koichi lunged himself at him, clutching at Van's neck.  
  
Van pushed Koichi off, and the boy seethed with rage, fighting back tears, his voice starting to crack as he spoke. "You didn't try to save her! You could've done something! SHE WAS EVERYTHING TO ME!!"  
  
Van glared at Koichi, his icy eyes also carrying a similar rage. "I couldn't move. The controls were frozen. Believe me...if I could, I would've tried to save her."  
  
Koichi kept glaring at Van, who walked away, thinking about Koichi's words. *'SHE WAS EVERYTHING TO ME!!' He loved Hitomi?...Did Hitomi forget about me?*  
  
------  
  
Allen gathered everybody aboard the bridge, and tried to come up with a plan.  
  
He gave a small chuckle. "I gather the first question is obvious: what do we do now?"  
  
Raylen shrugged. "I suppose our only option is to continue to Ralenia, figure out what is happening with the dragons, and form a solution."  
  
Van stepped forward. "I noticed something during the battle. The dragons seemed to be moving in formations, attacking in patterns, as if the attack was planned..."  
  
"Maybe it was," Fjal added. "Perhaps...the dragons have evolved to a higher level of consciousness..."  
  
"Or they're being controlled..." added Dryden, with a touch of dread in his voice.  
  
Allen sighed. "Well, we'll stay here for the night, and unless we come up with anything better, we continue to Ralenia, as suggested by Lord Raylen."  
  
Everyone nodded, and slowly filed out of the bridge, leaving Allen, Gaddes and Fjal alone.  
  
Gaddes threw his hands up in the air. "What's happening to this place? First Theran's village, then Asturia Castle, then here. We've lost everyone. How are we going to stop this?"  
  
Allen turned to him. "Calm down, Gaddes. We'll find a way to stop this, just as we've done before."  
  
"What if we can't this time? What if our luck has run out? This mission could be our last--"  
  
"So make sure it isn't," Fjal interrupted. "Losing hope is the only thing that guarantees failure. There's always hope...and that's practically all we have right now." Without another word, Fjal walked out of the bridge.  
  
------  
  
In Theran's room, the door chimed. He turned around and said, "Come in."  
  
Prince Chid entered the door, a sympathetic smile crossing his face. "Hello."  
  
Theran nodded. "It's bad, isn't it?"  
  
"Yes. Things are looking bad. We can't seem to combat these dragons, and we lost Hitomi in that last attack."  
  
"She was that strangely-dressed girl, wasn't she?"  
  
Chid simply nodded. He looked down and sighed, his expression changing as if he were removing a heavy mask. "I'm scared. I'm ashamed to be scared."  
  
Theran looked at him. "So am I. You don't have to be ashamed."  
  
"But I'm a prince. I have to be strong for my people."  
  
"I think people expect too much of others sometimes. I'll tell you what: I'll be strong for you, and you be strong for me. Okay?"  
  
"You mean that?" Chid asked, looking up.  
  
"Sure," Theran said, giving Chid a reassuring smile. "We'll be friends forever. Shake on it?" Theran stuck out his hand, which Chid grabbed and shook.  
  
------  
CAVE  
  
  
  
Hitomi Kanzaki awoke to find herself in a dark, damp cave. Small torches hung on the walls provided some light, and she saw that she was guarded by a dragon. She yelped as she saw it, backing away.  
  
The dragon took notice, and rumbled toward her. Hitomi sat flat against the wall, shaking with fear as the dragon's face stood inches from her own. She could smell its hot breath on her cheek as it snorted.  
  
Then the dragon suddenly gave a loud roar, and slumped to its side violently. Hitomi recovered some of her resolve, and inched toward the dragon. "You're hurt..."  
  
As the dragon's side came into view, Hitomi saw that a bloody wound covered a sizable portion of the dragon's side. Hitomi looked at it. *Poor thing, it's helpless.*  
  
She crawled over to the dragon's head, and softly petted it. The dragon took notice, looking up at Hitomi with its beady eyes, to which Hitomi responded with a reassuring smile.  
  
"Oh, how the gentleness of women sickens me so," bellowed a voice from the darkness.  
  
Hitomi's eyes darted around, looking for the source of the dark voice, and soon found it, as a black figure stepped out from the shadows.  
  
He was handsome in a devilish way, with a thick goatee, and he wore strange black armor, with a curiously-shaped sword at its hilt.  
  
"Yes, this dragon's a rare breed. One of the sharp few, but it's been cursed with that disease called compassion. I should've wiped her out months ago." The man spoke casually, as if the situation were a tea party instead. The man paused to kick the dragon in its side, onto the bloody wound, causing the pain-wracked dragon to howl.  
  
Hitomi said through clenched teeth, "Who are you?"  
  
The man gave an amused smirk. "Oh, please forgive me for not introducing myself. I am Lord Ghydal, former general in the Zaibach Empire, in the Emperor Dornkirk's employ; now aspiring ruler of Gaea. Quite a resume, no?"  
  
Hitomi simply glared at Ghydal incredulously. "What is wrong with you?"  
  
Ghydal began to chortle. "Many would say...a lot." He held out his hand to her. "Come, child, allow me to take you on a tour of the Cave of Dragons. In my opinion, it would be a more exciting thing to do than sit here in the dirt with nothing but a wounded, idiot dragon to keep you company. Wouldn't you say?"  
  
Hitomi hesitated, but finally allowed him to help her up. *Might as well...Rule #1 for Surviving An Encounter With A Maniacal Tyrant: Find out all you can about the situation...* she thought to herself, trying to keep her humor intact.  
  
Ghydal led her all about the vast cave, where hundreds...no, thousands of dragons rested, in immense caves.  
  
As they walked, Ghydal talked. "I was a general in Dornkirk's army, although I was never in many major battles, nor did I meet up with the infamous Escaflowne...I managed to escape with my life, and went into hiding."  
  
"Why did you capture me instead of killing me?"  
  
"Because I believe you're too valuable to kill. Because I know all about you, Ms...Kanzaki."  
  
Hitomi, surprised, stopped and stared at him. Trying to not reveal weakness, she cleared her throat. "Like what kinds of things?"  
  
"Your past, your involvement with the war...and your involvement with that young Fanelian king." Ghydal replied smartly.  
  
Before Hitomi could ask another question, Ghydal led her into a small room in the cave, where a large machine rested.  
  
"What is that?"  
  
"The source of all your troubles--the Energist Key, as I have labeled it. It was the last of Dornkirk's inventions before the war began. He'd scrapped it after completion, thinking it would not be of any worth, that his army was enough to secure his superiority...that his future was clear and bright. Your entrance into the chess game between Zaibach and the nations of Gaea changed all that, did it not?"  
  
He continued. "This device, once activated, releases an energy field that affects all Energists in a certain area. In the case of the dragons, it enables me to use them as pawns. In the case of Guymelefs, it tampers with the energists inside the 'Melef's heart, causing all kinds of malfunctions."  
  
He walked along the cave, continuing to babble, as he momentarily looked away from Hitomi, admiring the cave. Hitomi cautiously approached the Energist Key and studied it, trying to find a way of tampering with it.  
  
She took a deep breath, and randomly began to pull levers and push buttons. Ghydal took notice, and grabbed her. "You idiot little girl! Hasn't your mother ever told you not to touch other people's things? I believe the tour is over. I think I'll escort you to your cell."  
  
Pulling her fiercely by the arm, Hitomi was dragged to her cell, where she sat, defeated.  
  
*Good God, how do I get out of here?* Hitomi thought, as she yawned. *I'm tired. I think I'll rest. I wonder if my friends are worried about me...I wish I could tell them where I was...*  
  
She laid down on the hard rocky ground, and eventually fell asleep.  
  
------  
CRUSADE II  
  
  
  
A fine blue mist covered the boy's dreamworld. A girl materialized out of that mist...  
  
Hitomi. His love. The highlight of his existence.  
  
"Please help me. I am still alive--but for how long, I don't know. I'm in a place called the Cave of Dragons, where I've discovered the mind and the plan behind the dragon's attack. Hurry, come get me before it's too late--before they kill me. Please!"  
  
She disappeared quick as a flash--  
  
In his room, Koichi woke with a start--  
  
Van, also, sat up in bed, alarmed.  
  
They shouted simultaneously, "Hitomi!"  
  
Koichi jumped out of bed, pulling his clothes on and running out the door, sprinting down the corridors--  
  
Van dressed and jogged through the halls toward the bridge, reaching an intersection in the halls--  
  
Where both Koichi and Van slammed into each other, both boys knocked to the floor.  
  
"What the hell are you doing here?" asked Van.  
  
"I'm going to rescue Hitomi, that's what!"  
  
Van stood still, shocked. "So am I..."  
  
That stopped Koichi as well. Koichi pointed a finger at Van. "Did you--"  
  
"Get a dream? Yes. Cave of--"  
  
"Dragons...yeah. What's going on?"  
  
They both stood in the hall, trying to comprehend what this meant. Suddenly, Koichi made a run down the corridor, Van chasing him.  
  
"I'm rescuing her!" Van growled.  
  
"Not if you don't catch up with me!" Koichi yelled over his shoulder. "I'll have you know that I was the fastest runner in my school besides Hit--"  
  
He stopped once inside the bridge, to see Allen manning the controls. "What are you doing here?" asked Van, catching up with Koichi.  
  
"I was getting ready to lift-off the Crusade. What about you?"  
  
"We both got a dream about Hitomi. We think she is at the Cave of Dragons," answered Van.  
  
"Are you sure you can trust a dream?" Allen asked skeptically.  
  
Koichi stepped forward, impatient. "How sure would you be if two people had the same exact dream at the exact same time, telling about the exact same place? We are POSITIVE. Just get the Crusade up and running!"  
  
"Very well," Allen replied smartly, as the levistones were activated, the motors began to whir, and the Crusade lifted off.  
  
The noise had stirred some of the soldiers, and Gaddes, Fjal, and Raylen stepped into the bridge. "What's going on, boss?" Gaddes asked, wiping his eyes.  
  
"We're headed to the Cave of Dragons," Allen replied. "Get everyone ready, then help me with the controls."  
  
------  
CAVE OF DRAGONS  
  
Hitomi sat up abruptly. *Koichi! Van! That dream...what did it mean?*  
  
She was startled by the injured dragon approaching her. It snorted as its face came close to hers. Hitomi saw deep into its eyes, and saw desperation. She gasped when she saw a single, large tear drop from its eyes to the ground.  
  
"You poor thing..." she muttered. The dragon gestured behind it with its head. It repeated this gesture several times before Hitomi understood. "You...want me to go? But I'll be caught." *Oh come on, Hitomi, it's now or never!*  
  
She got to her feet, and hesitantly walked past the dragon and out of the room. The dragon tilted its head upwards. Hitomi, understanding what it meant, climbed onto the dragon's back. The dragon began to walk out through the cave, Hitomi clinging to the dragon's back for dear life, hoping that Ghydal (or a dragon) wouldn't see her.  
  
They passed several small caves, where many dragons slept, their tails curled up across their body. Hitomi, her eyes squeezed shut in fear, didn't notice one waking dragon, its black eyes glinting in the dim light of the cave as it growled...  
  
------  
  
CRUSADE II  
  
The Asturian skiff slowly approached the Cave of Dragons. On the bridge, the crew worked furiously at their stations.  
  
In the hangar, Van readied Escaflowne. He worked the controls to activate it--   
  
However, the Guymelef would not start.   
  
Van tried the controls a few more times, then gave up, grunting in frustration. He stepped out, to find Merle in the hangar in front of him. "It won't work?"  
  
"No, it won't. I don't know what's wrong with it. Except..."  
  
"What?"  
  
"An energist."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Merle cocked her head in curiosity.  
  
"Hitomi used her will to activate Escaflowne. She was nearby every time I've used it. When she was captured, I couldn't move Escaflowne. Maybe...there's some sort of range on her power."  
  
"...Whatever you say," Merle finally replied, then walked over to him, hugging his waist. "Don't worry, Van-sama. I'm sure she's fine."  
  
Van returned the hug. "I'm not so sure."  
  
------  
  
Hitomi's face lit up when she began to see a glimmer of light around the corner of the cave. She had to repress a cheer when they reached the mouth of the cave.   
  
Squinting, she made out a small dot against the sky. *The Crusade...Van, Koichi! They found me...*  
  
"Whoa!" she exclaimed when the dragon suddenly lurched forward and took off into the sky, flapping its long, unfurling wings. Its wound was obviously paining it, as it began an erratic pattern of flying.  
  
Hitomi looked back, and, to her dismay, saw several dragons taking off from the mouth of the cave and tailing her. The dragons, unhindered by injuries, were quickly closing space between Hitomi and themselves.  
  
------  
  
Allen looked forward to see several dragons approaching the Crusade. He said into the loudspeaker, "Incoming dragons! All hands, prepare for evasive action!" He turned to Gaddes. "Do we have any means of defending ourselves?"  
  
Gaddes shook his head in dismay. "No Guymelefs, as if they would do any good. Not unless Escaflowne's up and working again."  
  
Allen turned to the entrance as Van and Merle entered. "Van, any progress with Escaflowne?"  
  
Van replied, "None at all. If my guess is right, Escaflowne will only work if Hitomi is near." A pause, then, "I'll explain later. Just get Hitomi back." Van ran out of the bridge and back to the hangar.  
  
------  
  
The Crusade II was not far away as Hitomi, astride her defecting dragon, made all speed toward the floating skiff.  
  
Hitomi gave her pendant a squeeze for luck, and looked back at their pursuers, who were almost upon them.  
  
Then, her dragon gave a shuddering heave, and slumped a little bit, hastily losing speed. Hitomi shook it. "Come on!"  
  
The dragons reached them, and Hitomi flung her arms out, trying to hit the dragons. Her dragon, with one last ounce of strength, took a sharp dive, lowering away from the dragons.  
  
Hitomi looked down, to see the dragon's eyelids were lowering.  
  
Hitomi sighed, then with the pendant in her palm, gently touched the dragon's forehead. To her surprise, a warm, pink glow emanated from the pendant, and the dragon's eyes slowly fluttered open, and it gave a low purr.  
  
Hitomi smiled. "Now...let's get out of here!"  
  
The dragon pulled up, and continued toward the Crusade with renewed vigor.   
  
------  
  
Allen peered through the telescope, trying to zoom in on the erratically-moving dragon, and saw that it had a person riding atop it. "Hitomi! Gaddes, made full speed toward that lead dragon!"  
  
"Aye, sir!" Gaddes yelled.  
  
Koichi, standing beside the window of the bridge, turned to Allen. "Hitomi?"  
  
"Apparently seems to be riding a dragon."  
  
Koichi leaned back and sighed, his shoulders heaving in relief.  
  
"Don't relax just yet, she's still a while away from the Crusade."  
  
------  
  
Hitomi urged the dragon on, as the Crusade became closer and closer.  
  
However, so were the pursuing dragons, as they were finding new strength, and Hitomi's dragon seemed to be losing it, the wound beginning to draw blood again.  
  
The dragon tried every possible maneuver to shake off the other dragons, but   
they would not be defeated, and the ailing dragon began to wail with pain, as the wound opened fully, crimson drops of blood flinging out into the open air.  
  
"You can do it, just a little farther!" She shouted, as the Crusade loomed before them.  
  
------  
  
Van, in Escaflowne, waited impatiently for the Guymelef to start. Suddenly, a low whine filled the hangar, and Escaflowne stood.  
  
"Thank God!" Van exclaimed, and Escaflowne, in dragon mode, flew out of the hangar.  
  
------  
  
However, the enemy dragons had caught up with Hitomi, and a swift claw bit into her dragon's side, the shriek of pain deafening Hitomi. The dragon writhed, twisting in the air, shaking Hitomi off its back.  
  
Hitomi screamed as she fell, nothing holding her from the approaching ground, which was so far away...  
  
She shut her eyes, waiting for the inevitable...  
  
She hit the hard surface seconds later. Which seemed too soon, at the altitude she fell from...  
  
She opened her eyes to found she had not hit the ground, but instead, the pearly-white hull of Escaflowne.  
  
"Van!!" She screamed, Van grabbing her hand and pulling her up toward him. She held tight onto him from behind as he flew toward the Crusade.  
  
Sighing, she smiled as she rested her head on his back, her hands folded around his waist.  
  
Little did she know that she was close enough to the Crusade for Koichi, watching them from the bridge, to see her...  
  
------  
  
Allen cocked his head toward Fjal. "Are they aboard?"  
  
Fjal turned to him and nodded.  
  
"Good. Gaddes, full 180. We are leaving."  
  
"What about the dragons?"  
  
"Don't you see them? They're retreating. We're open to leave."  
  
Fjal muttered, "Something seems wrong, Sir Allen...They have the perfect opportunity to attack. We're defenseless, now that Escaflowne is in the hangar."  
  
"We haven't the time to worry about that. Let's take this opportunity while it is still open to us."  
  
"We are turned, sir," Gaddes reported.  
  
"Excellent. Full speed ahead."  
  
------  
  
In the Cave of Dragons, the sinister commander of the dragons watched the Crusade as it cruised away, safe from danger.  
  
Ghydal was furious.   
  
*Furious because the girl got away, their only defense, that...Escaflowne, is operational once again, and I lost a good dragon.  
  
How could it have resisted the Energist Key's signals? It must've been that...witch! That ethereal child had to have turned it.  
  
But then again...I will have my revenge, and soon.*  
  
His maniacal cackles echoed through the Cave of Dragons, as he awaited his chance to strike...  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  



	4. Chapter 4

ESCAFLOWNE: A CALL TO ARMS  
Chapter 4  
by Asher Cross  
DISCLAIMER: Escaflowne and its characters are property of Bandai, Sunrise, etc.  
------  
CRUSADE II  
  
  
  
As Escaflowne set down on the metal floor of the hangar, Van transformed it into Guymelef mode, and the machine shut down.  
  
Van, stepping out, jumped out and looked behind him to see Hitomi climb down from Escaflowne's shoulder and run into his arms. "Van, thank God!" she exclaimed as she squeezed him tightly, and Van returned the embrace.  
  
Hitomi looked up into his eyes, and saw the eyes she fell in love with one year ago. The same trance was happening to Van. "Hitomi..."  
  
Their lips slowly met...  
  
"Hitomi, thank God you're sa--" Koichi, who had run into the hangar, stopped just inside the door, and took a sharp breath as he saw Van and Hitomi locked in a kiss.  
  
His eyes and heart fell, as he took a flustered step backward.  
  
Hearing his call, Hitomi quickly pulled away, surprised and ashamed of herself. *Oh my God, how could I just forget about Koichi like that?* "...Koichi? I'm so sorry--"  
  
Koichi shook his head. "No!" He ran out of the room, Hitomi starting to give chase, Van looking toward them in concern.  
  
------  
  
Koichi, his throat burning as he tried to force down the sobs that threatened to overcome him, ran at full speed through the corridors of the Crusade. He felt betrayed, lost. *What's happening to me? I'm in this...insane fantasy land, and my love, the only connection I have to my world, is lost!*  
  
Suddenly, his left foot slipped, and he landed violently on his right knee, eliciting a sharp cry of pain from Koichi, and finally landed on his stomach, knocking the breath out of him.  
  
Hearing Hitomi getting closer, he desperately tried to get up, but the pain in his right knee was intense.  
  
Hitomi approached him, and grabbed him by the shoulders. Hysterical, Koichi tried to push her away, but Hitomi held on. "Koichi, calm down! You're just hurting yourself!"  
  
Koichi calmed down enough to look at Hitomi, his eyes pleading. "W...why?"  
  
"I don't know, Koichi, and I'm so, so sorry. I just...saw his eyes, and I forgot about you. That time, a year ago, when I was here, I found that I loved Van, and he felt the same. I...never really got a chance to kiss Van before I went back to Earth. I thought for weeks about what we could've had. Then I met you, Koichi. You made me feel special."  
  
"And I was a nice replacement for Van, wasn't I?" Koichi added sarcastically. "And now that you're back, you and Van can ride off into the sunset, can't you? Well, go ahead, I won't stop you, if it's what you really want."  
  
Hitomi could tell Koichi was hurt, from the tone of his voice and his body language. She knew him too well...when he was angry, it usually meant he was forlorn.  
  
Koichi continued his rant. "Were you really in love with ME all that time, or Van? Because I noticed something interesting when we went to rescue you. Although we have different haircuts...Van and I look ALMOST EXACTLY ALIKE."  
  
*Oh my God...I hadn't realized that! How stupid could I be?* Hitomi thought to herself. "I loved you, Koichi...but deep down, I loved Van too."  
  
"Well, you'll have to come to a decision sooner or later. Just ask yourself this question: Once this is over and we find a way to get back, are you coming back to Earth...or staying here?" he said sourly, then stormed off, Hitomi standing in the corridor, thinking about what he said. *He's right...sooner or later, I have to choose who I want to spend the rest of my life with...*  
  
She jumped when she heard Van's voice. "So...you found someone else."  
  
Hitomi turned and hesitantly answered, "Yes, I did."  
  
"...I'd be lying if I said I understood. I thought we were in love." Van spoke quietly, but his words dug deep.  
  
Hitomi, frustrated, lashed out. "I thought I would never see you again! What was I supposed to do? Wait for something that would probably never come? Besides...there was too much to love in Koichi to just keep hoping. He reminded me so much of you, I thought that...maybe in a small way, I could be with you..."  
  
"You used him."  
  
Those three words stabbed right into Hitomi's heart like a sharp dagger, each syllable causing a sharp pain.   
  
Van continued. "You used him to pretend that I was still with you."  
  
Fighting in her mind, Hitomi's hands tightened into fists. *No, no, I really did love him! No, it couldn't be true!!* She screamed, "How dare you?! I would never use him! He's too kind, too gentle, I would never do that!"  
  
Van sighed, then turned to walk away. He looked over his shoulder. "Look deeper. Find the truth," he said, then walked away.  
  
Hitomi stared after him, then looked down at her hands. She'd tightened her fists to the point where four small slices from her fingernails appeared, pooling blood.  
  
She stared at her hand. *That's never happened before. I've...never been that angry...but was I angry at Van...or at myself?*  
  
There were too many questions, too many answers were 'maybes'. She wiped her hand on her school uniform, and leaned against the corridor wall, breaking down into sobs.  
  
------  
  
On his small bed in the dark guest quarters, Koichi lay face-down, motionless, except for the occasional shudder of sobs. Overcome with feelings of hurt and sorrow, he soiled his pillow with tears.  
  
The door opened, and Koichi's muffled voice shouted, "Go away!" However, whoever it was didn't leave.  
  
Koichi sat up and turned toward the door, yelling, "I said--"  
  
Suddenly, the guest (hiding against the side of the bed) tackled him, pinning him to the bed, too late for him to struggle.  
  
As he squinted against the dim light of the doorway, he recognized the face of the intruder. "Merle?!"  
  
"Yes!" Merle hissed playfully.  
  
"What are you doing? Get off me!"  
  
"Oh, you're no fun!" she complained as she rolled off him, and sat beside him on the bed.  
  
Merle noticed his face was flushed, and leaned closer. "Were you crying?"  
  
"..Yes, I was crying." Koichi said, not looking at her.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Oh, nothing. Just found out my entire relationship with Hitomi was one gigantic lie," he muttered sarcastically.  
  
"You're really bitter, you know? You have to get over it!"  
  
"Get over Hitomi? Oh, you don't know what you're talking about." He leaned back and laid on the bed. "Hitomi was the best thing that ever happened to me. She always smiled that gorgeous smile...she also had such a carefree attitude--that's what I loved most about her. I don't ever remember her ever being worried about herself. She was always concerned with me, and her friends, but never with herself, because I think she knew we would tell her if she was doing something wrong."  
  
Merle rested her hands on her chin. "Sounds like you were really smitten."  
  
"You don't know the half of it. But now...I don't know."  
  
"Well, I had a hard time getting over Van and Hitomi too, but I've gotten over it. Just try, I'm sure you'll do it." Merle climbed over him to the other size of the bed, and ruffled his hair before scrambling out of the door on all fours.  
  
------  
  
Allen sighed as he leaned back on the chair in his quarters, resting his hands behind his head and groaning in exhaustion. The situation was indeed becoming grim. Hitomi had explained to him about Lord Ghydal, the Energist Key, and the malfunctioning of the Guymelefs.   
  
He also wondered about the dragon that helped Hitomi escape. *How could it have broken Ghydal's control? Perhaps Hitomi had some part in it...she does have a gift, after all...*  
  
His train of thought was broken when the door opened, and Celena walked in, feeling cheery. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything, brother."  
  
Allen sat forward, slightly annoyed. "My dear sister, didn't Dryden teach you about knocking in that year you were in his employ?"  
  
"So I WAS interrupting?" Celena said, with a sly smile.  
  
Allen chuckled. "I surrender. Yes, as a matter of fact, I was contemplating our situation and how we can get out of it."  
  
"Anything so far?"  
  
"No. All we can do is head for Ralenia, so Lord Raylen can gather his forces, and take them by force."  
  
"Can't we just take a small team to the Cave of Dragons, sneak in, and destroy the Energist Key?"  
  
"No, wouldn't work. He'd have the dragons on guard, and they'd find them instantly. Guymelefs wouldn't work because of the Key's capabilities." Amused, Allen said whimsically, "My, my, some of Dilandau's strategic genius must be carrying over onto you."  
  
Celena frowned, and turned away. Allen stood and held her by the shoulders. "I'm sorry to bring that up."  
  
"It hasn't stopped. Dilandau is not dead. Sometimes...she comes back, particularly when I become saddened."  
  
"Don't worry, sister. We'll get him out of you, and my sister will come back to me." Allen hugged her from behind, and Celena leaned into him.  
  
------  
  
Lord Raylen walked into the bridge, where Dryden, Gaddes, and Fjal worked the controls. Raylen gave a small smile as he saw the borders of his homeland, Ralenia.  
  
Dryden, turning to him, said, "Glad to be back home, sir?"  
  
"Just Raylen. And yes, I am."  
  
"I'm glad, Raylen. I'm personally looking forward to a little R & R after this little crisis."  
  
"I'm afraid you might not get much. We'll be taking the army out as soon as possible. Ghydal would likely have moved after we found him. He may be gone already."  
  
"Damn."  
  
"But I'm sure we will hold off for a few days. That should be ample time for everyone to get some rest."  
  
Gaddes, glancing over at the target screen, widened his eyes in surprise. "Oh shit!"  
  
Fjal, Dryden, and Raylen turned toward him. "What?"  
  
"A swarm of dragons rapidly closing on us!"  
  
Dryden yelled orders. "Fjal, contact Allen, get him up here. Gaddes, how close are they?"  
  
Suddenly, the ship rocked violently, sending them sprawling to the floor. Gaddes, pulling himself up with the console, replied shakily, "That answer your question?"  
  
Allen ran into the bridge, fuming. Mole Man, Millerna, and Celena followed. Allen shouted, "What's going on?"  
  
Gaddes replied, "Dragon's, sir. Shitloads of them, directly attacking us."  
  
"Raylen, can your people send reinforcements?"  
  
"What are they gonna send, Guymelefs?" Raylen answered.  
  
"...Dammit, you're right. Evasive action!"  
  
"There's no room to maneuver, they're everywhere!!"  
  
"See if you can reach Van, get him to deploy Escaflowne."  
  
An extremely violent explosion rang throughout the bridge, crew thrown everywhere. Dryden slammed into the wall, and crashed to the floor, out cold.  
  
"Gaddes, damage report!"  
  
"Hull damage critical. Hangar's caved in, so Escaflowne can't get out. That last hit was our left levistone. Right's heavily damaged. We're falling," Gaddes reported.  
  
Allen shouted into the P.A., "All hands, brace yourselves!"  
  
------  
  
Koichi ran through the corridors. "Hitomi?! HITOMI! Hitomi, where are you?"  
  
Struggling through the frantic crowd of passengers, he saw a small boy crying, trying to hold on tight against the crowd, wailing a name and trying his best not to get trampled.   
  
Koichi made his way through to the boy, and held onto him, getting him through the crowd. "You're the kid from the village, right?"  
  
The boy nodded. "Theran."  
  
"Don't worry, Theran, I won't let anything happen to you."  
  
"Where's Chid?"  
  
"The other boy, royalty?" Theran nodded. "I haven't seen him. I'm sorry, kid."  
  
"It's okay." Theran hugged Koichi's neck as tightly as he could, as Koichi carried him through the frantic fog of people.  
  
As he ran through the corridors, he spotted someone else -- Merle! Merle ran forward, shouting, "Koichi!"  
  
"Merle, what's happening?"  
  
"The dragons are attacking, and we're falling! I just came back from Van--he can't get Escaflowne out!"  
  
"Is Hitomi with him?"  
  
"She wasn't. But what are we going to do?"  
  
Koichi sighed in defeat. "I suppose there is nothing to do. Maybe if we find a secure place, we could...die quickly."  
  
Tears began to well up in Merle's eyes, and she hugged Koichi's waist. "We've still got to try. Is there any way off this skiff?" Koichi asked Merle.  
  
"There are no other craft to exit with, and we're going to fast to simply jump."  
  
Another blast rocked the skiff, and this time a wall panel blew inwards, cutting a hole in the ship. Koichi, Merle, and Theran held on tightly to the wall, trying to not get sucked out. Merle, her cat-like claws keeping her firmly gripped to the wall, looked out the hole. They were getting closer to the ground, which wasn't that far away now. "The dragons are gone!"  
  
Koichi added, "They've taken us out. There was no need for them to be here."  
  
"Koichi?!"  
  
Koichi looked back to see Hitomi rounding the corner and stopping. "Hitomi!"  
  
"Listen to me. Before we die, I need to tell this to you..." Her eyes pleading and tear-stricken, she shouted, "I love--"  
  
The wall panel protecting Koichi, Merle, and Theran from the wind behind them blew out, and the three were sucked out of the ship, into the open air.   
"NOOOO!!!!" Hitomi screamed, falling to the floor in shuddering sobs.  
  
She tucked in her legs to her chest, and sobbed into her knees. She didn't want to die like this.  
  
------  
  
On the bridge, everyone braced for the impact. Mole an tried to revive Dryden, but Fjal stopped him. "Let him sleep when he dies...spare him the pain."  
  
Allen and Celena held each other, and Millerna joined in. Millerna whispered into his ear, "I love you, Allen."  
  
Allen replied, "I love you...Millerna."  
  
The three tightened their embrace.  
  
------  
  
In the dilapidated hangar, Van sat in Escaflowne's cockpit. He worried over what would happen to Fanelia, his people. Over Merle, how the cat-girl would be saddened.  
  
Over Hitomi...  
  
He pictured him in her mind, smiling a reassuring smile, mouthing the words, "I love you." He thought about a lifetime he would never have with her.  
  
Van leaned back, and for the first time in an eternity, cried.  
  
------  
  
The crew of the Crusade II--Hitomi Kanzaki, Koichi Samamoto, Van Fanel, Allen Schezar, Merle, Millerna, Celena, Gaddes, Chid, Dryden, Raylen, Gaddes, Fjal Trawen, Mole Man, and Theran, prepared themselves for death, as the Asturian skiff crashed into the ground, falling apart, shards of metal careening into the dim light sky.  
  
And Lord Ghydal contemplated his plan for the complete and utter domination of Gaea...  
  
THE END  
  
OR  
  
IS IT?  



	5. Chapter 5

  
undefined  
  
  
undefined  
More...  
  
  
undefined  
[Close]  
  
  
undefined  
[Close]  
  
  
undefined  
  
  
ESCAFLOWNE: A CALL TO ARMS  
Chapter 5  
Asher Cross  
------  
VYUM, RALENIA  
2 MONTHS AFTER CRUSADE'S DESTRUCTION  
   
   
"HITOMI!"  
Koichi's eyes opened wide, and the first thing he noticed was the pain in his   
back and shoulders. He winced as he shifted in the bed that held him.  
He looked up at the wooden ceiling above him, and around at his surroundings. He   
was in a small room, and in the morning, judging from the light.  
He tried to remember what had happened before...the Crusade was plummeting to   
the ground. He, along with Merle, Hitomi, and Theran, were in a corridor, trying   
to figure out a way to escape.   
A wall panel was torn away by the severe wind, and he, Merle, and Theran were   
sucked out of the ship.  
The three had grabbed onto the panel, and held onto it, hoping for it to break   
their fall somewhat. It was an act of desperation, but it was the only chance   
they had.  
*Had it worked? Are Merle and Theran alive? And what about the others on the   
Crusade?*  
A figure ran in. *Merle!* She seemed much less the worse for wear than he did.  
The cat-girl gasped, and ran to him. She ran back to the doorway and shouted,   
"Koichi's awake!"  
Koichi tried to sit up, but the pain in his back made it difficult. Merle pushed   
him back down. "I don't think so. You were hurt pretty badly in the fall."  
"So I noticed," Koichi groaned, the pain now throbbing. "What about the kid? Is   
he OK?"  
"Don't worry, he's fine. Both of us woke up a week after the crash. We weren't   
hurt as badly as you were."  
"So, how long have I been out?"  
"Two months."  
Koichi's eyes widened. "Two months? How badly was I hurt?"  
"Well, you were still holding on to the panel when you hit the ground. Both   
shoulders popped out of their sockets, and you busted your left leg pretty   
badly."  
"Where are we? And how is it that you guys weren't hit so bad?"  
"To answer your first question, we're in this little town in Ralenia called   
Vyum--some cranky old guy found us, this is his house; As for the second   
question, well...cats always land on their feet." Merle gave him a mischievous   
smirk.  
"I'm just glad we're alive."  
"Aye, it was a miracle at that," a gruff voice, with the slightest hint of an   
Irish accent, said behind them.  
They turned around to find a middle-aged man, with straggly hair, hobble toward   
them. "Welcome back to the land of the living, my boy. I'm Johes, the owner of   
the house. I daresay you're the only visitors I've had in quite a long while."  
"How did you find us?" Koichi asked him.  
"I was taking my morning walk through the outer skirts of the forest, and I saw   
you poor children and the panel of metal lying in the open field just outside   
the forest. Lucky for you I was the first to find you. Ghydal would've probably   
slit your throats, likely after he woke you--he would be that sadistic."  
"Wait, wait, Ghydal?" Koichi asked, in disbelief. "How do you know about him?"  
"Why, just after I found you, he used his dragons to practically cripple the   
capital cities of each country. Before long, he gained complete control of   
Gaea." A modicum of sorrow coated the last few words.  
Koichi looked at Merle, whose lip began to quiver. "Th-that creep ravaged   
Fanelia, and now Fanelia Castle's his fortress...we were almost completely   
rebuilt..." A tear rolled down her left cheek.  
Johes continued, but only after taking a deep, sad breath. "We don't see the   
dragons anymore, but any act of rebellion will bring the whole lot of them down   
on us."  
A few tense moments passed before Koichi spoke. "Where's Theran?"  
Merle nodded her head to the doorway. "He's resting."  
"Could I see him?"  
"Not yet. You need to rest a little more, lad," Johes said. "Relax, the boy will   
be fine. Just rest, and you should be fit enough to walk soon."  
Koichi sighed, and leaned back, his head cushioned softly in the folds of the   
surprisingly comfortable pillow; he was asleep in seconds.  
------  
A small voice woke Koichi. He gave a small smile when he saw that it was Theran,   
looking up at him with his adorable little eyes.  
"Hi, kid," Koichi said, smiling back. "Relax, I'm alive."  
"Where's everyone else? Chid, Lord Raylen?"  
Koichi sighed, biting his lip, and hesitantly said, "I can't say, munchkin. I   
really can't." He reached a hand out to ruffle his hair; it missed as Theran   
leaned forward to wrap his arms around Koichi's neck, holding almost as if   
Koichi would disappear if he let go.  
Koichi moved the hand to the back of Theran's head, holding it, as the boy   
sobbed into his shoulder. "Don't worry, I'm here kid, I'm not leaving..." he   
muttered into Theran's ear, as Theran's sobs grew more violent, his small   
shoulders heaving with each cry.  
Merle rushed in, saying, "What's all the noise?"  
Koichi raised a finger to shush her. Merle nodded, and slowly walked up to them,   
hugging Theran from behind. "Hey, cheer up. It makes us sad to see you cry."  
Theran, sniffing, said to her, "I'm not going to see them again, am I?"  
Merle, her lip quivering as she asked herself the same question in her mind,   
didn't answer it. "Uh, Koichi...Johes wants you to come down. He needs to talk   
to you."  
Koichi nodded, released Theran, and sat up. He placed his feet on the floor, and   
shifted his weight onto them, slowly standing. He exhaled, feeling confident.  
Then he took a step, and his right foot buckled as it hit the floor, sending him   
on one knee. Merle lunged forward and caught him before he fell face-down to the   
ground.  
Koichi felt strange, she was too close to him. "Don't worry, I can do it," he   
muttered, shaking his head, and shakily returning to his feet.  
Eventually, with Merle helping a bit, he made his way down the stairs and to   
Johes' kitchen. They found Johes walking toward them with a bowl of...something   
resembling a gray mush with not-too-appetizing brown lumps scattered around it.  
Koichi gulped loudly. "What...is that?"  
"Some call it things I'd best not repeat, I call it breakfast. Eat. You'll need   
your strength back. It's basically a compilation of the basic vitamins and   
minerals--my definition of health food."  
Koichi made his way to a chair, and sat down at the dinner table. Johes sat down   
the bowl of mush, which wouldn't have surprised Koichi if it started to move.  
He grabbed the spoon, and took out a large scoop. He looked at it   
apprehensively, as the excess mush sloshed off the spoon and gathered in a   
disgusting pile in the bowl below it.  
He slowly moved the spoon towards his mouth until it entered, then he closed his   
mouth around the spoon, and quickly swallowed it, getting a small taste before   
the rancid protein food slid down his throat.   
*My God this is disgusting!* thought Koichi, as he began to shudder, furiously   
swallowing, trying to get the vile taste out of his mouth.  
"Hurry up and finish it, boy, I have much to show you," he said hurriedly.  
With a few huge gulps, Koichi finally survived breakfast, and he was given a   
cane by Johes, which the boy used to hobble around, following the old man as   
they walked into a shack beside his rather comfortable home.   
As he entered, his eyes widened at what he saw. Rows upon rows of small   
projectile weapons, resembling the musketball pistols from the 1500s. In the   
corner, a small worktable covered in shaven wood.  
"Oh my God..." Koichi whispered.  
"I invented them. They're rather small devices, but potent, very potent." he   
picked one up. "You see, this weapon carries a small metal ball and contains a   
very powerful powder. Once this small finger-lever is pulled, This hammer will   
hit the small flint there, and a spark will form. That spark triggers the   
powder, and this small round opening will eject the metal ball at an extremely   
high speed, and will do great damage--maybe lethal--to any living target."  
Koichi just stared in awe at this backward genius. *This guy invented guns?*   
"Uh, what are you using them for, though?"  
Johes leaned forward and said with a whisper, "I'm starting a revolution." He   
leaned back and surveyed the room. "Ghydal won't know what hit him. Yes, he has   
his dragons, and his soldiers and Guymelefs, but he doesn't have the power to   
kill from over a kilometer away," he declared confidently, shaking the pistol in   
his hand.  
Before Koichi could say something else, they heard people gathering around   
outside in the streets. Once they were outside, Koichi almost let go of his cane   
when he saw what was happening...  
Several villagers were dragging in an unconscious girl, her face dirt-stained,   
her tear-streaked face stained with blood...  
Her school uniform in tatters...  
"Hitomi!" he shouted, and began to hobble toward them as fast as he could. Once   
he reached them, he tried to push people out of the way, but lost his balance   
and fell to the ground.  
Merle and Theran, running out from the house, ran to them and pushed the people   
back. Koichi, unable to get up, crawling toward Hitomi, and grabbing her limp   
hand. *Hitomi...thank God you're alive...* he thought, before fading into   
unconsciousness...  
------  
FANELIA CASTLE  
FANELIA  
   
   
Everyone gathered in the arena of the courtyard, bustling with anticipation at   
the long-awaited gladiator fight.  
Everyone took their seats in the coliseum, their eyes transfixed on the arena,   
where the brutal fight would take place.  
The crowd sat silent as the doors opened in the arena, and the combatants were   
pushed out into the arena.  
There were 3 men, all fit and armed only with a short spear. One in particular,   
with long, flowing blonde hair, stood upright, looking up at the crowd as he was   
booed.  
His eyes moved to the main balcony, where his 'master' and his entourage   
watched. The eyes squinted under the mess of blonde hair that hid his face, a   
look of anger creasing his features.  
Up in the balcony, the new king of Gaea, Lord Ghydal, rose, throwing a smile at   
the crowd, which immediately broke into cheers.   
"What a glorious day for battle! These three men are the fittest slaves in my   
employ. Now, for your entertainment, these slaves will fight each other to the   
death, with the last man standing victorious." He leaned down to the fighters   
down below. "Let the fighting begin!"   
The blonde man turned and threw his spear high into the air, in the direction of   
Ghydal. The man's wiry yet strong arm sent the spear flying toward the balcony.   
The startled Ghydal watched as the spear sailed toward him. *This man is   
skilled,* he thought to himself.  
He stood still as the spear continued its journey, and soon it was only a foot   
from his neck--  
When the spearhead suddenly broke off the stick, and the spear rattled to the   
ground.  
Everyone looked amazed at Ghydal, whose quickly-drawn sword shined in his hand.   
He shot a glare at the blonde man, then sat back down and relished the fight.  
The slave defended himself as best he could against the two other men,   
considering he had no spear.   
Meanwhile, Ghydal watched, but his attention was diverted by the calling of his   
name. He turned around in his seat to find Lord Raylen the source of the voice.   
A week after the Crusade's crash and Ghydal had taken control of Gaea, he sent a   
search party to the crash site. Of the 33 crew members, there were 3 survivors,   
and 10 missing bodies...One of the three survivors was Raylen, who agreed to   
serve him, if he'd be lenient on his country. He wasn't of course, but Raylen   
knew better at this point to defy him. "What is it, Raylen?"  
"Sir..." Raylen muttered, "Our Guymelef patrols around Ralenia say they saw a   
group of people helping an unconscious girl to the town of Vyum. A girl with   
peculiar clothes...not unlike the clothes of the girl Hitomi..."  
Ghydal smiled with amusement. "Ah, the girl...send a squad. Crush the whole   
town. Leave not a speck of dust...except the girl, I want her alive."  
Raylen paused. He obviously didn't enjoy the prospect of his people being   
slaughtered. "What are you waiting for, Raylen?"  
"Nothing, sir. Right away." Raylen took one last glance at the arena fight, and   
the blonde-haired man who was winning. *Oh, Allen...what're we going to do? I   
can't keep this facade up any longer...you and I are going to have to talk...*  
------  
Hitomi Kanzaki awoke in a bed, aching from head to toe. Her vision was blurry,   
but she could still see a boy standing next to her. "Hmm...Van..."  
"No, it's not Van. Don't worry, you're safe." Now she recognized the voice.   
Koichi...  
She blinked a few times, and her vision cleared. Her face lit up, and she sat   
up, pulling Koichi into a tight embrace, which he returned. She muttered,   
"Koichi, you're alive!"  
"Yes, I am, and so are Merle and Theran. We're all alive. It's so good to see   
you again." Koichi said, a tear of joy running down his cheek.  
"What's happened?" Hitomi said, breaking the embrace.  
"We managed to survive the crash, Hitomi. This guy from the village has taken us   
in, and no one knows we're here for now, I hope. But...Ghydal has taken over   
Gaea, and he's using Fanelia as his capital."  
"Oh no...What about the others?"  
Koichi shook his head. "We're not sure. If you survived, there had to have been   
others, though..."  
Hitomi nodded, and smiled reassuringly. "Too bad I don't have my tarot cards   
with me."  
Koichi returned the smile. "Thank you."  
"For what?"  
A pause. "Surviving."  
Suddenly, a low rumbling stole them from their conversation, and they looked out   
the window of the bedroom. Their eyes widened...  
Five armor-clad soldiers, riding large beasts of burden, strutted into the city,   
villagers being trampled or forced to scurry out of the streets.  
They were headed for Johes' house.  
Koichi turned to Hitomi and helped her up. "We have to hurry and get out of   
here." Koichi reached for his cane, and tried to support Hitomi as they hurried   
out of the room. But with his bad leg, it was Hitomi who ended up supporting   
him.   
They searched the house -- no Merle, no Theran, no Johes. With a little effort,   
they made it to the front door. They opened it, and stepped out--  
To see the five soldiers standing in front of them, holding Johes, Theran and   
Merle.  
The head soldier on foot grinned evilly. "Well, well. Look who showed up. Get   
them!"  
Koichi pulled Hitomi along as they ran, Koichi limping along vainly as two   
soldiers gave chase. Their armor was rather bulky, so their speed was impaired.   
They heard behind them the voice of the head soldier bellowing, "The girl must   
be alive, but kill the boy."  
"Where are we going?" asked Hitomi.  
"The shed -- we'll find weapons there," Koichi replied, not looking back.  
Suddenly one of the soldiers caught up and grabbed Hitomi, knocking her to the   
ground. Koichi kept up his sprint to the shed, biting his lip against the pain   
in his leg.  
He reached the door and opened it. Koichi jumped in, and closed the door.   
Limping around the shack, he found two of the pistols Johes had made, and took   
them off the rack. Once on each hand, he quickly got used to the weight.  
The two pursuing soldiers and reached the door. With his thumbs, Koichi pulled   
back the hammers and aiming the weapons at the door. His hands trembling, his   
breath came in ragged pants.  
The doors opened, and the two soldiers came in. Koichi lifted the weapon in his   
right hand, aimed it at one of the soldiers, and squeezed his eyes shut as he   
pulled the trigger...  
A horribly loud bang filled the air, and the unexpected kickback pushed Koichi   
backwards to the ground.  
He howled in pain as he hit the ground, but quickly looked forward to his   
target.  
The soldier was on the ground, a crimson pool forming at his head. The other   
soldier was still in shock, but quickly recovered, charging toward Koichi...  
Gasping, Koichi lifted his left hand and the weapon it held, and squeezed the   
trigger. The recoil threw his arm back violently, and the soldier grabbed at his   
neck, where the projectile had hit him. Koichi's stomach twitched, and he looked   
away until he heard the THUD of the soldier hitting the ground.  
Koichi helped himself up with the wall, then dropped the guns to the ground.  
He looked over to the rest of the weapons. *Don't worry, Hitomi, I'm coming...*  
------  
The head soldier paced in front of his four prisoners: Hitomi, Merle, Theran,   
and Johes.   
He stopped in front of Hitomi, and turned back to his comrades, chuckling. "I   
know Ghydal wants her back alive, but that doesn't mean we can't have some fun   
with her first..." He reached forward a hand to stroke her cheek, which Hitomi   
promptly leaned forward and bit.  
The soldier yelped and pulled back. "Well, she's feisty...I like feisty," he   
purred.   
Johes shouted, "Step away from that little girl, you bastard!"  
The head soldier paced toward him, his face a mask of irritation, unsheathed his   
sword, and thrust it through Johes' heart.  
Hitomi, Theran, and Merle had to stifle their screams, for fear of meeting the   
same fate.  
The head soldier left the sword in Johes' breast as the old man fell to the   
ground, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth, staining the ground. He   
turned to Hitomi, grinning. "Now, where were we?"  
"I know where you'll be soon if you don't let her go."  
He turned to the source of the voice, which was a few feet away to his right.   
"Ah, the boy finally arrives. Where were you...and what are those ugly things in   
your hands?" he asked, gesturing to the guns.  
"Try me and find out." Koichi said, his jaw set.  
"Please don't feign bravado in front of me, child. It's insulting. Inside,   
you're trembling."  
It was true, this usually mild-mannered boy was scared out of his wits, but   
Koichi wasn't ready yet to show it.   
Meanwhile, Hitomi was watching as they talked. The head soldier, who stood right   
in front of her, seemed completely concentrated on Koichi, as well as the other   
soldiers. *He'll get killed...* Gathering her wits, she suddenly slammed into   
the head soldier, who fell to the ground, taking Hitomi with him.  
One of the soldiers started toward them, and Koichi panicked, aiming his left   
gun and firing, killing the soldier. Merle and Theran got up and ran for the   
other soldier, tackling him.  
The head soldier grabbed Hitomi and pushed her down, getting ready to hit her.   
Koichi ran for her, raising the gun and shooting.  
He only hit his helmet, which flew off his head and to the ground. He continued   
his run, jumping the soldier and knocking him down.   
The soldier gave one strong punch, and Koichi was on the ground, unable to move.   
The soldier straddled him, pinning him to the ground, and his hand was to   
Koichi's neck, choking him.  
Koichi's eyes rolled to the back of his head, his vision getting blurry as his   
air began to run out...  
Suddenly, the soldier's grip loosened, and the man's expression was one of   
shock. Koichi peered down to see the sharp point of a sword impaling the space   
between the soldier's chest armor.  
Koichi crawled out from under the soldier, and sat up, to see the wounded Johes,   
the sword that impaled him now in the soldier, his other hand pressing down on a   
serious chest wound.  
Koichi said quietly, "Johes, no..."  
Swallowing several times, Johes managed to groan out, "Carry on my   
mission...make Gaea free..." Johes' eyes rolled back, and he fell to the ground,   
his last words spoken.  
Koichi stared at the man for a long time. Hitomi crawled over to him and laid a   
hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Koichi..."  
Koichi looked over at the dead soldiers and the soldier that Merle and Theran   
had knocked unconscious. "I...I killed," he muttered, in incredulity.  
"You had to do it," Hitomi reassured. "We have to free Gaea. As far as we know,   
we're stuck here for good. I don't want to live in a world like this."  
"Where are we going to get people to help us?" Koichi asked.  
"There are towns oppressed like this all over Gaea. And another thought just   
occurred to me..."  
"What is that, Hitomi?" Koichi looked back at her, their eyes meeting.  
"I know it seems too good to be true, but...if we survived the crash, there had   
to be others from the Crusade that lived...maybe Allen or Gaddes...or Van..."   
her voice cracked as she thought of him.  
"We don't have anything else to do, do we?" Koichi added.  
"We have to do this."  
Merle and Theran walked over to them. "If we do this, where are we going to   
start?"  
"I suppose we could wander until we find a town, find people who will help,   
maybe know what happened to everyone from the Crusade, if anybody else lived..."   
Hitomi suggested.  
"And Johes provided us with the perfect weapons to fight Ghydal." Koichi said.   
"We could use the soldiers' transportation to carry them," he added, gesturing   
to the beasts of burden the enemy had used to get to them.  
The four sat silent, together, until Koichi tried to stand, but his poor leg   
gave out on him, the pain even more severe from all the running he did. He held   
up a hand to stop Hitomi. "I'm fine, just got up too fast." Koichi tried it more   
slowly, and eventually got to his feet.  
Hitomi sighed. "Well, let's go."  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
Back to Chapter 4Back to FanficsForward to Chapter 6  
  
   
  



	6. Chapter 6

IMPORTANT NOTE TO ALL READERS OF THIS SERIES ON FF.NET:  
This is the final chapter of anything I will post on FF.net, for personal qualms I have with the site. I'd love to thank all the people who've sent me marvelous feedback--love you all!  
  
HOWEVER, if you still wish to read this series, you can   
  
1) check regularly at my anime site, Asher's Hangar, at http://www.geocities.com/asher_cross/,   
  
or   
  
2) if you don't like waiting so long for the first option, I'm thinking about forming a 'mailing list' to mail to fans once I get subsequent chapters done. Just email me at ashercross@tankpolice.com, with the subject line 'Call to Arms ML add me' and, when I get a new chapter finished, I'll email it to you ASAP. If you want to get previous chapters, make the subject line 'Call to Arms Chapter ##' with the chapter number replacing the number signs. If you no longer want to get chapters (which I would regret--I'd like to think I can hold this series aloft enough for everyone to enjoy it to the end), make the subject line 'Call to Arms ML remove me', and I will do so.  
  
Thank you, and I hope you wish to continue reading what I consider my best fic!  
  
ESCAFLOWNE: A CALL TO ARMS  
Chapter 6  
by Asher Cross  
-----  
WALLVOZ  
RALENIA  
2 DAYS LATER  
  
  
  
The four travelers--Hitomi Kanzaki--the clairvoyant girl from the Mystic Moon, Koichi Samamoto--Hitomi's boyfriend from the Mystic Moon, Merle--the cat-girl servant of the possibly late Van Fanel, and Theran--a little boy whose entire village was killed in a dragon attack, rode their reptilian steeds across the vast grasslands and forests of Ralenia, the large sacks carrying the makeshift guns invented by their late companion Johes weighing them down.  
  
Merle was fast asleep on her steed, Koichi trying to keep her in the vicinity of the group, while Hitomi and Theran rode ahead.  
  
Koichi caught up with Hitomi, and rode alongside her. "So, where to? Or do we even have a direction?" Hitomi asked.  
  
Koichi flipped out a piece of parchment, and unfolded it. It was a map. "I found this at Johes'. From what I can tell, we're less than a mile from a village called Wallvoz. Maybe we can find people there to distribute the weapons and form sort of a black market for the resistance...that is, if we can form one."  
  
Merle, now half-awake and who had overheard, rode up to them, and stated, "I've been to Wallvoz once. It was nice, but I don't think we can find much help there. The people there are just farmers and merchants, and not very brave."  
  
"Maybe we can go back and try to convince them after we've been to a few more towns. Doesn't give them the pressure of having to be the first." Koichi said absently. "But we'd better go there now anyway, if just to rest."  
  
Hitomi gave him a smile. "Wow, Koichi. I never took you for much of a strategist."  
  
"Neither did I, but we have to now, don't we?" Koichi gave her a small smile back. "You know,--"  
  
Suddenly, a loud rumbling noise, and a crash startled them. They looked ahead.  
  
They had reached Wallvoz.  
  
It was under attack.  
  
Five Guymelefs, each of assorted make, lumbered through the town, their bulky, metallic arms swinging into the crumbling stone of buildings, sending rubble down onto the populace.   
  
Koichi took a deep breath, and motioned to move forward. Hitomi stopped him. "What are you doing? How do you plan to destroy Guymelefs with nothing but a few peashooters?"  
  
"It's better than doing nothing!" and Koichi started to charge again.  
  
Just then, another Guymelef appeared from the opposite end of the town, headed toward the other Guymelefs. This one was navy in color, with a sort of blocky physique, carrying a gigantic mace-like weapon in its bulky right fist.  
  
Koichi stopped, and watched as the new Guymelef charged into the town, and swung its mace weapon at the head of the nearest Guymelef. The spiked ball cut at the head, the helmet of the machine caving in, crushing the pilot's head as well.  
  
The other four Melefs surrounded the new attacker, and simultaneously charged toward the middle.  
  
The enemy Guymelef suddenly leaped straight into the air, the four Ghydal Guymelefs crashing into each other. One of them fell to the ground dead, another Guymelef's sword accidentally impaling its chest.  
  
Before the other three could gather their wits, the enemy Melef finally bean to come back down...Over the heads of the Ghydal Melefs, his mace lowering in a fierce blow.  
  
The ball cut through the arms of two Guymelefs standing shoulder-to-shoulder, the inoperative machines falling to the ground. The third began to run away.  
  
The attacking Melef raised his arm, and threw the mace in the direction of the fleeing machine, the weapon twirling in the air with unexpected grace.  
  
As the mace reached the Guymelef, the ball made furious contact with the back of the mecha's head, embedding its razor-sharp spikes in the metallic skull (and the fleshy skull of the pilot), sending the dead machine to the ground in a sickening crash. The Guymelef stood stock still, as the excitement wore down.  
  
After barely a minute of fighting, the battle was over. Hitomi and the others had barely the time to blink.  
  
Koichi stared, mouth wide open, at the Guymelef, until he was snapped out of his trance by the sight of Hitomi riding full speed toward the Guymelef.  
  
"Hitomi, don't!!" Koichi yelled, and sped after her, Merle and Theran trying to keep up behind him.   
  
Trying to race to the Guymelef that had saved the town, Hitomi suddenly felt a strange, giddy sort of feeling wash over her. *Only one person I know fights like that...it has to be! Please, let it be HIM!!* Hitomi thought in her head.  
  
She reached the town, and sped through the streets, dodging passersby, trying to get to the Guymelef. Rounding a corner, it was in sight, gargantuan before her. Her heart skipped a beat in anticipation and hope, and she finally mustered the composure to shout at the top of her lungs...  
  
"VAN!!"  
  
She waited for what seemed like an eternity, before the Guymelef opened, and the pilot stepped out. He was small and lanky, with a mess of black hair. He looked down at her, and she could see his face. It was, indeed, Van Fanel, the young king of Fanelia.  
  
He leaped down to the ground, and slowly walked toward her, almost in awe, his jaw slightly open. *Hitomi?! How could she be here? Is this a dream? If so, do I have to wake up?*  
  
Hitomi, in similar happiness, hurriedly jumped off her steed and ran toward the boy, holding him close and resting her head on his shoulder, listening to his quickening heartbeat. *It's him...I found him...* Hitomi began to lean into him as he held her as well.  
  
"What?!?!"  
  
Hitomi gasped. *Koichi!* She quickly stepped away from Van, smoothing out her clothes and clearing her throat, as she saw that Koichi, Merle, and Theran had caught up with them and sat on their mounts next to Hitomi. Merle quickly got to the ground and greeted her best friend with a proper glomp. As Van struggled to get the cat-girl off his back, Hitomi said to Koichi, "Koichi, it's Van, remember? From the Crusade?"  
  
Koichi looked at him with a sort of sneer. "I remember all too well."  
  
Hitomi snorted at him, and turned back to Van. "What about Escaflowne? Is it still here?"  
  
"Yes. I'll tell you about it later, but right now, we'd best find a place to hide. Ghydal will find out about this place, and begin to hunt us. We'll head for the forest, and plan our next move."  
  
Koichi dismounted, and approached Van. "Wait a minute. Number 1,who elected you leader? Number 2, who even invited you to join us?" Koichi sounded none too happy, even shades of anger were revealed in his voice.  
  
Van turned to him with a sneer, and walked up close to him, their faces inches away. "Number 1, I have the most combat experience out of all of you, and Number 2, I invited myself! If we're going to win, we have to work together, despite our confrontations."  
  
Koichi stopped. Van looked to the rest of them. "Let's make for the forest, quickly now. We'll spend the night there, and then we'll move on."  
  
Hitomi sighed, and got on her mount, along with Koichi and Merle. Theran sat on his smaller mount, strangely quiet and sad.  
  
Van climbed into his Guymelef, and motions to follow him. The five children headed toward the forest.   
  
------  
  
In the thick canopy of the forest, the group found a suitable spot to hide the huge Guymelef a few miles away from Wallvoz, and decided to rest there for the night. The sun had long ago dropped below the horizon, and they all gathered around the small fire they had built. In the middle of the forest was a small lake, and the group had set up camp only a few yards from it.  
  
Theran spoke first, his tiny voice barely audible. "How did you live through the crash?"  
  
Van sighed, then began. "I was in Escaflowne when we hit the ground. I must've been knocked out, banged my head against the faceplate. I came to the next morning. I saw several Guymelefs sifting through the wreckage. Almost immediately, I got out of Escaflowne--it wouldn't work, because you were not there. Plus, I didn't want to make myself noticed yet. To make a long story short, I hijacked one of their Guymelefs, killed the others, and dragged Escaflowne to a safe place, in the hopes that Hitomi was still alive and she could make it operate. I've been fighting Ghydal ever since--defending towns like you saw, making hit-and-run attacks on his troops, and so on."  
  
"One question," said Koichi, a finger raised in inquiry. "Do you know why Ghydal uses Guymelefs now, instead of just using his dragons to keep the populace under control?"  
  
"No idea. Sorry."  
  
"Let's just be glad he's not using them," commented Merle.  
  
Koichi spoke up, after the deadly silence that followed Merle's comment. "Van, I have to talk to you for a minute, in private. Could you guys leave for a bit?" he said, nodding to Hitomi, Merle, and Theran.  
  
They nodded, and ran off to talk elsewhere, leaving Koichi and Van to sit absently in front of the fire.  
  
"So, what did you want to talk about? Try to convince me to back off so you can have Hitomi all to yourself?" Van said sourly. Koichi paused in his reply, and Van used that opportunity to continue. "It's obvious that you don't like me, Koichi. You're afraid, afraid that I'll take Hitomi away from you...jealous too."  
  
Koichi exploded, pacing as he ranted. "Don't you dare make me out to be the bad guy here, Fanel! *You* were the one who took her away from me! If you hadn't wished for her to come back here, she might've lived the rest of her life happy, instead of running from huge war machines at every stop! I didn't ask for this, and I'll bet Hitomi didn't either. And now...now we may never get home."  
  
Van stood, his patience finally broken as well. "Let me tell you something: I was heartbroken after Hitomi left. Near the end of the war, we FINALLY realized that we were in love. And she left without even a kiss...one kiss!! And then she finally comes back after a whole year, but I have to contend with both an evil dictator who's taken over my world, AND a weak boyfriend who came along for the ride, who STOLE her from me when we had to be apart! That, Koichi Samamoto, is why I DO NOT LIKE YOU!!"  
  
The two boys stared at each other, their faces twisted in jealous anger, for a long minute before they turned away. Koichi sighed in frustration. "Looks like I have two enemies to fight: Ghydal...and you." He stormed away, leaving Van to stare at the fire as if his gaze would make the fire burn brighter.  
  
------  
GHYDAL CASTLE (formerly FANELIA CASTLE)  
FORMER KINGDOM OF FANELIA  
  
  
  
It was a damp, pitch-black nighttime in the slave cages in Ghydal Castle. One had to sleep in dry, itchy beds of hay, shivering because of the cold coming from the ominous walls, trying to fend off the smell of urine and sweat from your nose.  
  
Allen Schezar knew this firsthand.  
  
Trying to find some semblance of sleep, he shifted in the hay, itching his bare back and shoulders, wherever the irritating hay found him.   
  
A shuffling noise startled him. He looked toward the entrance, where a silhouette snuck into the cages, the dim light from the entrances exposing his presence.  
  
Allen sat stock still near the bars, poised to strike as the figure approached, strangely toward him.  
  
Suddenly he was there--right outside the bars! Allen struck, grabbing the collar of the man with both hands, and slamming his forehead against the bars, then turning him around, pinning the man's head in his arm, attempting to strangle him.  
  
The man gave choked cries, reaching back to try and find Allen's head behind him. "Ga--ga--Ah-All-Allen--"  
  
Allen's grip loosened at the mention of his name. He'd managed to hide his identity from all of his captors--and he recognized the voice.  
  
Allen turned him around, and, squinting, managed to make out the face of the man--Lord Raylen, his former comrade in arms, a fellow warrior from the Crusade!  
  
The man he'd seen right next to Lord Ghydal during his fight in the arena, laughing at his crude jokes and making sure he was /as comfortable as possible/.  
  
Allen spat in Raylen's face and slammed his face in the bars again. Head spinning, Raylen slurred, "Wait, Allen, I came to help you and tell you--"  
  
"I've had enough of your 'help', traitor!" Allen growled.  
  
Before Allen could hurt him again, Raylen quickly replied, "What happened to the honorable, sophisticated Allen Schezar, eh?"  
  
Allen stopped. "What do you mean?" he asked, shaking him.  
  
"The Allen I knew would never act rashly until he knew the facts. Now let me talk."  
  
Allen let go of Raylen, and rested his head on the bars, calming down, while Raylen coughed, rubbing his neck. "He found me at the wreckage of Crusade, like you. He didn't recognize you because of your hair and the injuries the crash inflicted, but he knew me, and threatened to destroy my entire kingdom and kill my people unless I became his right hand. During that time, I've been collecting information and intelligence I get from being on the inside, and forming a plan to dethrone him and return Gaea to its rightful kingdoms.  
  
Raylen continued. "I saw you at the arena, and recognized you finally. It was then I realized I finally found a friend on the inside also. Together, we can get this revolt started. What do you say? Do we become brothers-in-arms once more?" Raylen extended his hand through the bars.  
  
Allen thought for a bit, and finally took it, shaking with enthusiasm. "Of course...brother."  
  
------  
  
Meanwhile...  
  
In the throne room of Ghydal Castle, Lord Ghydal, now gaining weight from the two months of luxury, sat in his throne, talking with a man leaning against a wall in the corner of the room, the shadows hiding his face.  
  
"Please, give me your report, General."  
  
The man had a slightly feminine voice. "Our...uh, re-education...of the town of Wallvoz was...unsuccessful."  
  
Ghydal sat up, alarmed. "Unsuccessful? Don't tell me it's--"  
  
"The stolen Guymelef, sir, likely a survivor of the crash of the Asturian skiff Crusade. He killed the troops."  
  
"Shame to you. As my leading general, it's your job to see that these kinds of things do not happen and we have no FAILURE. Will I someday be forced to ...re-educate you as well?"  
  
Ghydal smiled in satisfaction as the man gulped, nervous. "My lord, these attacks are becoming more and more irritating. I suggest you give me a legion of our finest troops from all of Gaea, and create a task force, using only the best weapons and Guymelefs, to hunt down this fly and destroy it."  
  
"Using too many flyswatters can sometimes be enough of a hassle to let the fly get away. But I will grant you this request. However, in the remote chance that this certain fly manages to evade the swatters too many times, you and your men--however many will remain--will be killed immediately. Is that clear?" Ghydal asked.  
  
"...Yes, sir."  
  
"Now leave, and the next time you return, have some good news for me...Dilandau."  
  
The grey-haired alter ego of Allen's sister Celena looked behind his shoulder, and replied, "Count on it."  
  
------  
  
Koichi Samamoto, still enraged after the argument with Van over the issue of Hitomi's affections, he reached the lake, and suddenly stopped. He blinked very slowly in reaction to what he glimpsed.  
  
Hitomi, unclothed, was taking a bath. Koichi tried to look away, telling himself that he was too decent for peeping, but somehow couldn't tear his eyes away from her.   
  
Koichi turned to leave, when suddenly, someone shouted from behind, "Having fun?"  
  
Surprised, he accidentally slipped, and fell backwards--into the lake.  
  
Koichi came back up, gasping for air, looking around--to find Hitomi gone.  
  
Just then, he heard tittering from the place he was hiding in. He looked over to see Hitomi, now in her underwear, and Merle laughing at his soaked, humiliated form.  
  
Koichi raised a fist in a silent threat, while the two girls walked away, laughing heartily, Koichi left to mope in the insanely cold water.  
  
------  
WALLVOZ  
  
The next morning...  
  
Dilandau walked amongst the town, reveling in the havoc his elite task force was wreaking, searching for the location of the Guymelef and its pilot.  
  
One of his officers, Farrest, his second-in-command, motioned him over. The insanely built, intimidating man was holding one old villager fiercely by the shoulder. "This one'll talk, sir!" he bellowed.  
  
Dilandau walked over to him, and grabbed the tortured man's neck. "Speak now! How many are there, where are they, and why should I let you and your puny friends live?"  
  
"Th-there are 5 of them...4 teens, one little boy. They went into the forest," the old man moaned, tears streaming down his face.  
  
"Thank you. You may live, for now. But harbor the enemy once more, and you'll be seeing our dragons soon." Dilandau sneered, and threw the man to the ground.   
  
"All troops, gather round! We'll scout the forest at midnight. Standard spread-search formation."  
  
Farrest added, "First one to find them gets a hearty wench in their bed when we return!" The troops shared laughs, while Dilandau threw his head back in laughter.  
  
------  
  
Midnight...  
  
Thump.  
  
Thump.  
  
Thump.  
  
Van Fanel's eyes opened wide. He knew that thump.  
  
He shook everyone awake, and quickly explained that Guymelefs had found them, and they had to leave.  
  
"Where are we going?" Hitomi had asked.   
  
"To get Escaflowne," Van replied.  
  
They rounded up the animals (which Van later told them that they were called Colcavs), put the sacks of weapons on them, and rode through the forest, while Van entered the Guymelef and prepared for battle.  
  
From what he could tell, only one was approaching. He heard the thumping footsteps of the Guymelef get closer and closer, and when they finally arrived, Van stood the Guymelef up, swinging the mace at the Guymelef.  
  
The enemy Melef raised its sword, the chain connecting the ball to the handle of the mace twirled around it, locking their weapons together.  
  
They stood there for a few seconds, locked together. The enemy Guymelef shouted, "This is General Dilandau of the Guymelef armies of our Lord Ghydal! Surrender at once and avoid immediate death!"  
  
Van's eyes widened. *Dilandau! Allen's sister is working with the enemy? Oh my god!* He was unsure if he could fight someone he knew well, had come to know and befriend during the year after Zaibach had fallen. He decided that, for the first time in a long while, he would retreat.  
  
Suddenly, Van let go of the mace, and Dilandau, who was pulling with all his might to release his sword from the mace's grip, was met with a spike nearly stabbing his head as the mace swung up toward his head.  
  
However, Van began to run, and by the time Dilandau had untangled the mace and sword, Van's Melef was gone, along with the four Colcav-riding children.  
  
Dilandau, thirsty for blood, screamed at the top of his lungs, his cry of agony echoing through the forest. *I will find you...and when I do, your death will be slow and agonizing, and you will beg for me to end your life...*  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  



	7. Chapter 7

ESCAFLOWNE: A CALL TO ARMS  
Chapter 7  
by Asher Cross  
  
DISCLAIMER: Escaflowne and its characters do not belong to me (although the original characters-Koichi, Fjal, Raylen, Farrest, Theran, and Ghydal-do).  
  
Also, in this chapter I take liberties with the operation of Guymelefs. If anyone can enlighten me as to HOW exactly they work (and if I'm close or not), feel free to email me.  
  
------  
FOYLAN FOREST  
RALENIA  
  
  
  
The next morning...  
  
Van Fanel's eyes were alert, darting towards every minute sound. His warrior's instincts were kicking in, stimulated by the task of protecting his almost weaponless companions.  
  
Hitomi, Merle, Koichi, and Theran rode their Colcavs alongside the crawling Guymelef, the dense forest around them giving them a small sense of security, yet an aura of danger hung in the air.  
  
Down on the ground, Hitomi could sense that Van was still cautious. She shouted, "Van, relax! We're in the forest, we lost them!"  
  
"It's not Ghydal I'm worried about. There's someone else here...I can smell it."  
  
Hitomi stared back at the Guymelef for a moment, then suddenly--  
  
FLASH! Appearing before her eyes, she saw large men, carrying long, sharp weapons, hiding behind several bushes! Men preparing to attack...them...  
  
The vision disappeared just as quickly as it came. "VAN--"  
  
A dozen men sprung out of the bushes, their swords and axes glittering in the thin sunlight, and charged toward them!  
  
Everyone screamed in unison, and before Van could react, another bandit leapt from a tall tree, draping a tarpaulin over the head of the Guymelef, blinding him! Van flailed around, trying to find the end so he could pull it off, while the attackers went after the others.  
  
Koichi scrambled toward his makeshift pistols, and pulled one out. He pulled back the hammer, and aimed for a bandit stalking Merle. He squeezed his eyes shut as he pulled the trigger--  
  
The boy's aim was true, and the bandit fell screaming. The kickback was underestimated, however, and Koichi yelped as he lost his balance and slid off his Colcav to the ground, his leg--still weak from the crash of the Crusade--breaking his fall, causing Koichi to howl in pain.  
  
After a few minutes of struggle, it looked as if all were lost. Koichi, still wincing from the fall, was being dragged up by two angry men, Theran being dragged along. Hitomi and Merle were being eyed micheviously by several of the men, who chuckled evilly. Van was being carried to the rest of the group by another pair of bandits, his bleeding forehead indicating he'd been knocked out by one of the men.  
  
They dumped them in a pile in front of the them, and the lead bandit shouted in a gravelly voice, "The boys die. The girls come with us."  
  
"No, no!!" Hitomi shouted, as she and Merle struggled against the strong men, to no avail. Koichi and Theran simply lay in defeat alongside the unconscious Van, while the other bandits raised their weapons...  
  
Suddenly, a figure jumped down from the trees, brandishing two swords, that came down on two of the attacking men as the mysterious savior hit the ground, the razor-sharp blades cutting the unfortunate men in half, dead before they hit the ground. The figure, quick as lightning, proceeded to foil the remaining men, every lunge with the swords meeting flesh, the bandits' attacks parried every time. In a matter of seconds the bandits were dead, the five children left in awe as they managed to identify the figure that stood before them, his swords gleaming crimson.  
  
Fjal Trawen. The mysterious warrior under Sir Allen's employ on the Crusade.  
  
No one could say anything to the calm, collected warrior, their incredulity and relief overriding their ability to react. Fjal, taking control of the situation, barked, "We must hurry. Get Lord Van to a flat place to rest. The rest of you, get your things prepared, get a fire going, break out food if you have any."  
  
The authority of the warrior snapped them into attention, and they immediately went about their tasks with a hasty "Yes, sir."  
  
Soon, it was night, and they were all resting in front of the small fire they had managed to make, Van just then waking up wth a confused murmur.  
  
Hitomi jumped to him. "Van! You're awake!"  
  
"We're alive?" he whispered.  
  
"Yes, thanks to Fjal. He's alive, and he found us," Hitomi replied with a laugh of relief.  
  
Fjal sat in concentration in front of the fire, staring into it. "I watched you fire that extraordinary weapon, Koichi," he said, having been introduced to all of them earlier. "With excellent aim and control I might add. You've got some, if honestly not much, promise as a warrior. Has Lord Van given you any swordfight training?"  
  
Van looked at Koichi with an angry glare, and Koichi gave a quiet "No".  
  
Fjal gave a comtemptible look at Van, then said to Koichi, "If you would like, I will give you some training with swords -- and perhaps teach you how to operate a Guymelef. In these times, it is useful to have that skill."  
  
Koichi thought about it for a second, and replied, "Sure, I'd like that."  
  
Fjal nodded agreeably. Van just scoffed and laid back down.  
  
------  
  
It was morning...  
  
The travelers, now numbering six, walked a little more through the forest, until they reached a somewhat clear and open plain.   
  
They set down, and Fjal called up to Van, piloting his Guymelef, "Get down!!"  
  
Van opened the cockpit, and jumped down. "Where did you take us, old man?"  
  
Fjal's head snapped back in his direction. "Save your anger for the enemy." Then he turned to the rest of them. "We will rest here, and I will give Koichi a...crash course in weapons training and Guymelef handling, if that is satisfactory with you, sir." The last phrase was spoken with more than a hint of sarcasm.  
  
Van simply glared at the back of his head as Fjal walked toward a nervous Koichi. "Are you ready, child?"  
  
"I...guess so," he stammered.  
  
"Rule Number One of battle, Koichi: you must show fearlessness in the face of the enemy. You may be nervous, you may be afraid. But your opponent must not know that. You must keep it to yourself, and your adversary must only know a fearless, determined warrior. But...do not resort to anger. Rage slows down your reflexes, your intuition. You fight best when you are calm, almost passive."  
  
"Show no fear. Got it." Koichi muttered, sucking up his reluctance and letting his expression grow more collected.  
  
Fjal let one of the corners of his mouth curl up, in the best attempt of a smile he'd had. "Good. Now, to the swords!"  
  
Fjal tossed one of his swords to Koichi, who stumbled as he tried to catch it. He began to blush as he picked it up, and held it in a jaggedy position. "No, not like that!" Fjal exclaimed, and walked over to Koichi, adjusting his feet. "There, like that. Maximum flexibility without compromising the strength of your swing. Now, let us try some mock dueling. It will take a while, but you will grow accustomed to it."  
  
Koichi stood ready, drinking in his every word, absorbing the words of wisdom from the veteran warrior. They began, Koichi attacking expertly but toned down to give the novice a chance to retaliate.   
  
As the hours passed, Koichi was starting to get the hang of it, and Fjal became aware that he had to stop dumbing down his fighting technique, Koichi was improving that much.  
  
Meanwhile, Van, Hitomi, Merle, and Theran watched, Van's contempt of Koichi still showing to the others, Hitomi most of all. Soon, Koichi was worn out, panting and sweating, but Fjal was impressed, a glint of pride showing in his eyes. "Not bad for a beginner. All right, we'll rest for an hour, then I'll show you how to handle Guymelefs."  
  
Koichi managed to hold his gasping to mutter, "Okay," before he sat down, wiping his forehead and lying back on the grass, the cool blades comforting him as he fell into a short nap. He hadn't slept this peacefully since he'd awakened from the crash...  
  
------  
  
GHYDALIA CASTLE  
THRONE ROOM  
  
  
  
"You WHAT?!" Ghydal bellowed as Dilandau stood before him, head bowed.   
  
"We lost them...in the forest, sir. The Guymelef pilot was very skilled, and they fled before we could track them--"  
  
"Dilandau!" Ghydal interrupted, his voice stinging with fury. "As you know, I have little tolerance for failure. As of right now, you are relieved of your duties--"  
  
"Please, sir, don't--"  
  
"--and Lt. Farrest, your second-in-command, will assume command of your team and resume the search for these rebels. You will be restricted to your quarters, and guards will be posted outside your door. I do recommend you accept these terms, unless you would like to be deprived of a lot more than battle..."  
  
Dilandau grew silent, simply keeping his head held down. He knew he couldn't win. "As you wish." The stench of failure still hung in his nostrils, and he despised it.  
  
He quickly marched out of the throne room, where he could hear Ghydal mutter, "As you wish. I like the sound of that."  
  
------  
  
In his quarters, Dilandau sobbed. Relieved of his duties! A warrior? One of Emperor Dornkirk's finest, possible his very best warrior? And he's being put out to posture so some stick-up-the-ass yes-man can take over!  
  
Suddenly, pain wracked his body, and he began shaking, biting down a wail that would've awakened the entire castle. Suddenly, his body began to shift...muscles grew smaller, hips grew a bit wider, bone structure was altered slightly, and a certain *organ* disappeared completely, at which Dilandau grunted in intense pain. Finally, breasts began to grow very painfully from her chest, and Celena shuddered at the receding pain. *Oh God...make it stop...I want it to STOP!!!*   
  
She cried herself to sleep, curled up in a fetal ball on the cold, stone floor of her quarters.  
  
------  
  
FOYLEN FOREST  
RALENIA  
  
  
  
"Resting time over, child. Now it's time for Guymelef training."  
  
Koichi opened his eyes. The words came like stabbing reminders of his situation, and he got up with a yawn, stretching his limbs. "You sure I can do this?"  
  
"Honestly, no. But I have been wrong on several occasions. It is time to find that out."  
  
They walked over to Van's Guymelef, a towering mass of metal shaped like an armored warrior, which knelt in front of them. Koichi stared up at the open cockpit. "Okay, how do I get up?"  
  
"You will have to climb up the legs, I suppose. Shouldn't take long."  
  
Koichi gave a long sigh. "Okay, I'll do it." He ran over to the towering machine, and grabbed protruding pieces of metal and used them as hand- and foot-holds.   
  
Eventually, he reached the open cockpit in the 'Melef's chest, which he looked into. Inside, it was very dark, but he could see straps and various control mechanisms. He yelled down to Fjal, "Okay, what now?"  
  
"Climb in. Slip your arms and legs inside those coverings. Once you close the hatch, the drag-energist will activate and you will have control."  
  
He complied, and soon he was interfaced with the machine. The hatches closed with a hiss, and the only light coming through was coming from the slits in the Guymelef's faceplate.  
  
Suddenly, there was a faint glow enveloping the cockpit, and as the Guymelef's energist powered up, giving the war weapon life, Koichi's eyes widened. He was in control of a machine capable of massive amounts of destruction.   
  
Koichi almost giggled with delight. He felt on top of the world, powerful, unlike anything he had ever felt before. It felt as if the energist was powering HIM, as if he was the 5-meter-tall harbinger of death. This was almost becoming a religious experience.  
  
Koichi swung his arms, amazed at the freedom, the power, the sheer adrenalin pulsing through his body. Nothing could stop him!  
  
In his delirium, he could only barely hear Fjal's shouting. The boy managed to pull himself back to the world, enough to finally make sense of the yelling...  
  
"STOP! STOP, KOICHI!!"  
  
Koichi was still dazed. *Man, Fjal has a high-pitched voice...wait a minute...Merle!*  
  
He stopped. The minute disorientation told him that he was standing on one foot. He craned his neck to look down...  
  
At the Melef's right foot, 5 feet from the ground, a shaking Merle screaming to high heaven underneath.  
  
Koichi, reacting almost by reflex, stepped back, the robot's huge metallic foot swooping over Merle and thudding to the ground. Fjal rushed to Merle.  
  
He needed to get out. He strained against the interface, trying to pry his arms out, but it wasn't working.   
  
Koichi started to panic. "Fjal, Fjal, how do I get out?! Fjal!!!"  
  
The shouting from below told him to relax and will it to release him, and hesitantly, he complied.   
  
Suddenly, the metal surrounding his limbs loosened, and snapped off, gravity taking it downward and away from his body.  
  
The hatch opened, and Koichi, hands trembling with fear for Merle and himself, made his way out of the Melef and, finally, to the ground.  
  
He ran to Merle, who had fainted and whose head was resting on Fjal's shoulder. He looked at Fjal apologetically, stammering. "I-I'm sorry...I got carried away, it was-it was just so...over--"  
  
Fjal held up a hand. "Koichi, it was your first time in a Guymelef. You were not completely prepared for the experience. I understand completely what happened, and I should have anticipated that. The fault was mine."  
  
Before Koichi could respond, Fjal continued. "Now, it is time to get some rest. You are likely tired again. Tonight, we're setting out to retrieve Escaflowne. We will work on the Guymelef some more after we retrieve it."  
  
Fjal, also carrying the still-unconscious Merle, directed Koichi to the rest of the group; Van, who was leaning back against a tree, and who stared at Koichi with a mixture of contempt and boredom; Hitomi, who was entertaining the boy Theran with a mixture of childhood games-some games from Earth that Koichi remembered, and some from Gaea that he didn't recognize.  
  
He walked over to Hitomi, and leaned against a tree next to them, watching them before his eyelids finally collapsed and he drifted off to sleep...  
  
------  
  
GHYDALIA CASTLE  
SLAVE QUARTERS  
  
  
  
Allen continued to stew in the slave quarters, growing impatient for the boredom. He almost wished they'd bring him out to fight again! His warrior skills would almost ensure a victory; however, were something to go wrong and he would slip up, he wouldn't be any good to Raylen, now his partner on the inside. After all, the rotten mush the guards were feeding him and the other slaves clearly wasn't healthy.  
  
Suddenly a pair of guards entered, escorting a slave-a young boy, likely in his late teens--to a cell across from Allen. Strangely enough, this slave was not being dragged, in fact, he was almost to the brink of ecstatic, happily walking alongside the guards to the cell.  
  
Furthermore, he was clean! Not necessarily nicely clothed, still dressed in the rags normally applied to slaves, but he was washed, hair cut and teeth shiny (which showed because of his excited smile). He even muttered a "thank you" to the guards when they left.  
  
The second they left, Allen crawled over to the edge of his cell, and whispered, "Over here!"  
  
The clean slave looked over to Allen, and Allen asked, "Who are you?"  
  
The boy shrugged and replied, "I'm Kynef. I used to be a farmhand before Ghydal took over and made me a gladiator like you. And yes, I know what the obvious question is-why am I getting such good treatment? Well, I've been accepted into a wonderful program, recruited by Ghydal himself for a special task."  
  
Allen looked at him warily. "Ghydal wants you for a special task? My advice, Kynef: Stay out of it. If it's Ghydal's work, it won't be good."  
  
Kynef eyed him suscpiciously. "Are you kidding? Look at me! I'm being bathed, they tell me I'm gonna have a uniform, and I'll be able to get out of here!"  
  
"I still don't think he has something good planned for you, Kynef," Allen warned.  
  
Kynef pointed a finger at Allen. "Look here, friend, this could be my chance out of here. I don't know who you are, but I'm not gonna let a lowly slave spoil my opportunity for something better than this place."  
  
"Aren't you forgetting?" Allen added, scoffing, "You're a slave too."  
  
"Not for long. Good night...friend."  
  
Kynef quickly laid down and closed his eyes. Allen called his name several times, but quickly realized he wasn't listening. Allen laid down as well, wondering what new plan Ghydal was formulating...  
  
-----  
  
FOYLEN FOREST  
RALENIA  
NIGHT  
  
  
  
It was night. The insects were out, the moon was shining its light over the land of Gaea, and six freedom fighters were gathering their energies for their next move.  
  
Off to the side, Van sat by himself, having not said a word to them since Koichi began his training. He stared into the trees, almost as it looking for something which was not there.  
  
He started when a heavy hand landed on his shoulder. He looked up to the stoic face of Fjal Trawen, who sat down alongside him.  
  
"I don't need to be talked to, Fjal," Van warned.  
  
"Van, I believe you do. Ever since I joined back up with you in this forest, you've abandoned your sense of duty, deciding to exclude yourself from the group. If this is about the attack by the bandits--"  
  
"I wasn't paying attention. They took me down too easily, I should've been more careful."  
  
"Do not let this one mistake plague your duties. Also, a Guymelef can sometimes hinder the intuition of a warrior. There might have been no way you could have known," Fjal reassured Van.  
  
"I'm still obligated to protect them," Van added. "I was the only warrior among them-even that weak boy Koichi barely helps."  
  
"He has not the training nor the upbringing to be of assistance yet. Give him time...or is this a different issue?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I mean Hitomi. I understand you and Koichi are rivals for her affections."  
  
"This has nothing to do with it," Van snapped at Fjal, defensively.  
  
"Ah, but I believe it does," Fjal replied, pressing further. "You believe that Hitomi should have no question but to be with you, and that Koichi is too weak and unworthy for her."  
  
Van decided to bite, giving up the pretense. "She was in love with me first. Than he comes into her life, stealing her from me."  
  
"Listen to yourself. You sound like a child."  
  
"I am a child." Van looked back at him, a look in his eyes showing anger and vulnerability, with a innocent glimmer than supported his remark.   
  
He threw his hands in the air. "Fine, Fjal! What do you think I should do?" he remarked, with more than an inkling of disinterest.  
  
"Let her make the choice, and in the meantime, you concentrate on protecting them, because as you said-you're the only warrior here, save me."  
  
Fjal walked away, not saying more, leaving Van to consider the approach.  
  
------  
  
Later, the six adventurers gathered around the fire, as Van laid out his plan, using a twig to draw in the dirt.   
  
"All right," Van began, "In a few minutes, we're setting out to get Escaflowne, which will be a big step in starting this revolt. Now, after I stole the Guymelef, I used it to drag Escaflowne to the nearby Cave of Sumdall. We'll take this route, using the forests and mountains," Van drug lines across the loose dirt to lay out the plan, "and we should get there without detection. I'll get in Escaflowne, and Hitomi, once you get within close range of Escaflowne, use your will to activate it. Fjal, you'll take the other Guymelef, and we'll move to Sumdall Forest." Van shrugged, threw the twig down next to the map, and sat down on a rock.  
  
Fjal spoke up. "The plan seems sound."  
  
Theran's childlike voice spoke up for the first time in a while. "What will we do after we get to the forest?"  
  
Van exhaled. "We'll figure that out when we get there, child."  
  
Hitomi stood up. "Well, it looks like we should be getting everything ready. Koichi, you want to help me pack the guns?"  
  
"Sure." Koichi replied, and the two walked off, Merle and Theran following to help.  
  
Van and Fjal shared determined looks, and stood up as well, heading off to help get the supplies packed for their long journey...  
  
------  
  
The next morning...  
  
Lieutenant Farrest, now leader of the strike force tracking Van Fanel's group of rebels, led his troops through Foylen Forest, until they finally came to a small clearing, where there were fragments of wood and a pile of rocks.  
  
But most prominent was a small drawing in the dirt, which Farrest examined closely.  
  
One of the reasons Farrest was originally picked to be in Dilandau's elite group was his expert navigation skills. *They're headed for the cave of Sumdall...* he thought to himself. *THAT'S where we'll find them!*  
  
Farrest stood and shouted to the troops, "Soldiers, we make our move! Prepare to make for Sumdall Cave. We may be on our way to accomplishing our task."  
  
As the warriors began getting ready, Farrest allowed himself a small sneer. *They won't stand a chance...*  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  



End file.
